Perfect Storm
by WeAreNotYourKind14
Summary: Lucy has pretty much always had a thing for Laxus, and what better way to channel those unattainable feelings of passion and longing than into her own writing? But, when she gets caught working on a hot and heavy piece based on her infatuation with him by other members of the guild, word makes its way around, and secrets are revealed. Will things ever be the same?
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Hello, everyone! This is the first work I've attempted regarding this fandom, so please, bear with me! It is rated 'M' for several reasons:**_

_**-The opening scene is pretty sexually intense, so if this isn't your kind of thing, do not read any further!**_

_**-There will be some serious smut interspersed through some chapters, I don't know which ones yet (we'll see where my writer's brain takes me!).**_

_**-There is quite a bit of mature language.**_

_** ~Other important things worth mentioning:**_

_** -This is meant to be a slow-burn romance story, so don't waste your time if you're looking for a quick read...I will totally understand! **_

_** -Most of the chapters will likely be fairly short, but I will update them regularly, hopefully at least once or twice a week! **_

_** -I have posted the first two chapters as opposed to just the first one so that some context can be placed on the events that occur in the first chapter, which is meant to be ambiguous. **_

_**Thank you for clicking on my story, and I hope you enjoy the ride!**_

**xxxxxx**

_"Jesus Christ, Lizzie…" Lachlan's speech quickly transformed into a series of deep and erotic groans as he tilted his head back in a fit of intense pleasure. If she kept this up for much longer, he was going to cum._

_She pulled away from him for a moment, gasping for air; Lizzie wasn't the most experienced woman when it came to endeavors of the sexual kind…however, she knew for a fact that his cock was the biggest that she'd ever seen, let alone the biggest which it had ever been her pleasure to have choked on. Stroking his shaft, she looked up into his raging blue eyes and whimpered seductively "Lachlan, you're so big. I'm surprised that I can fit all of you in my throat."_

_"Yeah, me too, Blondie. Fuck, you're so hot…" He placed one hand on the back of her head, tangling his fingers in her hair._

_Lizzie opened her mouth once again to devour his rod, intent on making him shoot his load into it. More than anything, she wanted to taste his love liquor on her tongue. She moved her head up and down quickly and with purpose, tightening her lips and staring up at him with her golden-brown eyes as he continued to disappear into her mouth over and over again. She mostly concentrated on holding his gaze, but every so often, her own gaze would drift downward to admire his faultlessly chiseled torso. _

_A moan rumbled in Lachlan's muscular chest and escaped through his lips without warning. This was it; he could feel himself approaching what he referred to affectionately as "the point of no return". His thighs trembled and the muscles in his perfect ass twitched. He grabbed a handful of the couch cushion, and yelled: "That's it baby, please don't stop!". He rocked his hips up and down, matching the rhythm and speed of Lizzie's head. "Oh fuck, Lizzie!"_

_Lizzie's mouth tightened around his appendage, ready to suck up every last drop of his sweet semen. Her jaw ached as she kept her cadence, but she was determined to push through._

_"I'm gonna cum!" he shouted, sweat coating every square inch of his flawless skin. This was something she had been waiting for ever since she had first laid eyes on him. He thrust one final time as he pushed down on the back of her head, and before she knew it…_


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, Lucy!" Levy exclaimed from behind her. Lucy winced as her stomach fell from its current position into her ass. She leaned over the papers on which she had been writing, covering them with a combination of her arms and her breasts. She tried to make the motion as subtle as possible, acting as if she were casually going to rest her head for a moment on her stack.

"Hi Levy!" she uttered, an embarrassed flush creeping up over her face. Levy didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, I see that you've started writing again! Mind if I take a look at what you have so far?" In fact, she did mind, but she knew that Levy's ask was innocent, unlike her story. After all, _she _was the one who had decided to bring her smut into the guild hall.

"Umm, well it's still pretty raw. Mostly I was just trying to get my ideas down on paper before they disappeared, so there isn't much substance to it yet." Lucy lied through her teeth.

"Oh, okay! Well, whenever you've refined your ideas a little more, I would love to take a peek at your next masterpiece," Levy winked. Somehow, Lucy doubted that her work would be considered a "masterpiece", except maybe to a few perverts who got off to this kind of stuff, but she appreciated the sentiment all the same.

"Sure Levy, you got it!"

While the two were conversing, another member of the guild seized the opportunity to confiscate Lucy's work, taking advantage of the fact that she had removed her bosom from the stack. Cana snatched the papers in such a hurry that Lucy may have not even noticed the swift movement, had the _fwap _not been so loud. Cana sprinted until there was a reasonable distance between her and the author.

A beer mug in one hand and the smut in the other, Cana's eyes began scanning the page; she was a fairly quick read, but that did not inhibit her ability to drink in the raunchy details, nor did the three barrels of alcohol she had consumed throughout the day. "Oooooh, what do we have here?" Her slurred sentence was followed by a satisfied belch. "Lucy Heartfilia, you _dog_! I didn't know you were capable of writing such a thing! I guess you learn something new every day!" she taunted. "Shit, I'm gonna have to put my beer down for this one!" Cana set her mug on the table next to her.

"Hey, give that back, Cana!" shouted Lucy, running toward her with her hands outstretched, reaching for the papers. Some of the guild members turned their heads to look at the scene. _Shit is right_, she thought to herself. _Just what I needed._

"Why? I'm only perusing your work thus far. Gotta say, it's pretty intense," Cana smiled deviously and raised her eyebrow, extending a free hand to catch Lucy's face. After all, she couldn't let her steal the papers back before she had the chance to finish reading them, could she? Her eyes continued to dart across the pages as she fought back Lucy. "Damn, girl! This is _hot_!"

"What? I want to see it too!" Levy chimed in, sounding the slightest bit betrayed. Cana handed the papers to her friend, still restraining Lucy.

"Hey, you guys! This isn't funny! Give those back!" Cana wrapped her arms around the shapely blonde and teased "You can have them back when Levy is finished! You know, she's your biggest fan, after all." Lucy writhed beneath Cana's arms, but her efforts were moot, she realized, as there was something about alcohol that gave the Card mage impeccable strength; the drunker she was, the more physical prowess she possessed. She eventually gave up trying to escape, hanging her head in shame as she waited to see how Levy would react.

She caught a quick glimpse of the blue-haired woman before her and noticed that her face had turned a ripe shade of red. When she had finished reading, she stared at Lucy in a state of awe, uttering no words for an uncomfortable amount of time. Lucy could feel the humiliating sensation wash over her entire body. _Well, I might as well pack my bags, because I'm never going to be able to face either one of them again. _But when her eyes returned to Levy's, she saw not contempt or disapproval, but rather…concern? Levy looked serious.

Levy walked over to where her two friends stood, getting as close to them as possible. She handed Lucy the papers, and in a low voice said "Lucy, we need to have an emergency meeting at your place. Now." Lucy was stunned by her response. "I'll go find Erza, and I'll meet you guys there in no more than 20 minutes." _Fuck, now we're dragging Erza into this madness? This has to be some kind of nightmare._


	3. Chapter 3

Cana and Lucy dashed to her apartment, wasting no time. When they arrived, Lucy pulled out her keys and transferred the papers under her arm. She fiddled through at least six of her zodiac keys until she finally found the key to her apartment. _What kind of idiot must I be to put my gate keys on the same ring as my house keys?! _She exclaimed internally. She twisted the key in the lock and opened the door. When they were both inside, Lucy shut the door behind them with a heavy sigh and tossed the papers onto the nearest piece of furniture, not caring if they scattered or fell on the floor.

"Cana, I can't believe you did that!"

"Did what?" Cana had been here more than a few times and was completely comfortable with helping herself to the liquor stash that Lucy kept in her freezer. She grabbed a bottle of whiskey and a glass from the cupboard adjacent to the refrigerator. Lucy followed her, storming angrily into the kitchen, an incredulous glare plastered across her normally soft face.

"Are you serious?!" Lucy shouted. She snatched the bottle from Cana's hand before she got the chance to remove the lid.

"Hey! Give that back!" Cana burped.

"Not until you apologize to me for stealing my story and embarrassing me in front of Levy!" Lucy set the bottle on the counter out of Cana's reach.

"It isn't my fault that you brought that stuff into the guild with you! Why even write anything if you don't want anyone to read it? Isn't that kinda the point?" Lucy could feel the pit of her stomach tighten as the truth rang in Cana's words. She knew ultimately that it was her fault, that this whole incident could have been prevented if she had just stayed home or left her story there. Nevertheless, she had also never intended for anyone to read it, at least not until it was closer to being finished, and thought it unfair that Cana had taken that choice away from her. She loved her friend dearly, but sometimes her lack of personal boundaries was upsetting.

"Maybe you're right and I should have just left it at home, but it still sucks that you did that to me!" Tears began to well in her eyes as her mind flashed back to the awe-stricken face Levy had worn after reading her "masterpiece". She had never been more humiliated in front of her friend, at least not that one.

Cana sighed. "Look, Luce, I'm sorry if I hurt you. I never meant anything like that. All I wanted to read your stuff, and I was afraid that by your body language you would say no. Maybe I should've just taken the hint and promptly fucked off." An unintentional snigger escaped Lucy's lips, shattering the frown that had been there only moments ago. Cana wasn't the best at apologies, but at least she tried.

"You know I can't stay mad at you," Lucy spoke thoughtfully. She pulled her friend into a tight hug.

"I know you can't." She could feel the muscles in Cana's face shifting as her lips curled into a smile against her shoulder. After a few seconds, the two let go of their embrace.

Lucy picked up the whiskey bottle once again. "Now, I'll give this back to you, but only if you can promise that you'll behave yourself." She smirked playfully.

"Lucy, you know I can't promise you that." Cana giggled drunkenly. Lucy returned the bottle to her anyway. _Close enough_.

Just as the two had made up and resolved their issue, Lucy heard as the front door burst wide open without so much as a light rapping. Lucy gulped. _Great, Erza's here._

**xxxxxx**

**_So, now that the four women are all together, what will happen? Why did Levy feel it necessary to involve Erza in this ordeal? Stay tuned!_**


	4. Chapter 4

Lucy and Cana made their way back to the entrance of the apartment, both slightly terrified at the sight of the red-haired Requip mage standing before them, even though she was wearing a smile. Hell, Erza could be clothed in a frilly dress with ribbons in her hair and a pair of Mary Janes on her feet and she could still frighten the piss out of them.

"Hello, Lucy, Cana" Erza greeted them. Levy entered through the doorway behind her. Once she was inside, she shut the door and locked it.

"Levy, are you alright?" Lucy asked, even though she knew the answer, which was evident by Levy's outward behavior.

Regardless, Levy nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just…" she trailed off, staring blankly into space.

"Levy?" Lucy inquired, waving her hand in front of the Solid Script mage's face after several deafening moments of silence. Levy shook her head lightly, ask though awakening from a trance. "What's going on with you?"

"First, let's allow Erza to read what you wrote." Lucy thought it was be a shame if her stomach could take up residence anywhere except in her ass today. She hesitantly walked to the couch where she had lazily tossed the papers aside, bent down, and collected them in their correct order. She stood back up slowly, her veins turning to ice as she did so. Could she really let Erza of all people see this? What would Erza think of her? Lucy froze.

"Come on Lucy, it can't be that bad," Erza grinned at her reassuringly. "You'd probably be surprised at the things I read in my spare time." _She's so freaky!_ Somehow Erza's pep talk did not make her feel any better about handing over her stack of smut, but Lucy knew that the Fairy Queen wouldn't rest until it had been done. Erza was persistent if nothing else, so there was really no point in arguing, Lucy decided. She returned to where Erza stood and handed her the papers, holding her breath. Erza accepted the papers from Lucy and plopped down on the couch, making herself right at home. Lucy had become accustomed to this type of conduct from all of her teammates, so she wasn't fazed in the slightest. In fact, she was actually quite shocked at the fact that she hadn't heard that characteristic _thud_ upstairs from Natsu falling through her window. As ironic as it was, she hadn't heard it in days and had missed that sound.

"Wow, Lucy, I…" It seemed like an eternity, but finally Erza had finished reading the papers. Worst of all? She was _blushing_. She couldn't recall a single instance where she had actually seen Erza _blush, _except for maybe when she had seen her talking to and/or about Jellal, and even then, it could have been her mind playing tricks on her. "Don't misunderstand me, the style is superb, it's just that…I had no idea that you wrote this sort of thing." _Superb, huh? _Lucy couldn't help but beam at the compliment. "But—" _Oh no. _"I do understand the implications of which you spoke Levy, and I agree that this is quite dangerous." Implications? What the fuck was she talking about?

Levy nodded, her face firm. "Lucy, there's a reason I called this meeting." Lucy could feel a could sweat breaking out across her entire body. What could this possibly be about? Was this an intervention? Did they all think that she was some kind of sex-crazed vixen? As these thoughts raced through Lucy's mind, Levy's face softened and gave way to a sweet smile. "Your writing is amazing. The way you captured the intensity of the moment was brilliant! A-plus!" The other women nodded their heads in agreement. _Okay, and you had to bring Erza here and make me almost shit my pants just to tell me that? _Lucy exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, everyone! That really means a lot, especially since this is my first real attempt at writing something like this!" Lucy couldn't believe that she had been so worried. And yet…there was still something tugging at her; what did Erza mean by "implications"?

"However—" Erza cut in, her arms crossed and her face unreadable. _If you all could quit with these dramatic god damn conjunctions… _"We've noticed that there are certain—similarities—between some of the characters." _Uh oh. _

"What do you mean by 'similarities'?" Lucy inquired shakily, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck and feigning innocence.

"I think you know exactly what we mean." Erza accused. Lucy remained silent.

"Lu," Levy said affectionately. "Did you maybe…write some of these characters based on real-life members of our guild?" _Fuck, was it that obvious? Maybe the names I picked out weren't as subtle as I had thought…_

"What would make you think something like that?"

"Lu…"

"Lucy, you're so oblivious! You didn't exactly try to hide the fact that you totally want to fuck Laxus' brains out!"

Lucy, Levy, and Erza all turned their heads to look at Cana in shock. They had even momentarily forgotten that she was there, for she had been quietly sipping on her whiskey for most of the conversation. Lucy's face turned redder than Erza's hair, and everyone except her suddenly burst out laughing.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Erza approved, still giggling uncontrollably.

"Laxus?! As _if_." Lucy was under the impression that maybe, just maybe, she could still salvage what was left of her dignity. Perhaps she could conjure up a lie that would convince them otherwise?

"Oh, come on, Luce! You don't _really _expect us to believe that, do you? His name is _Lachlan_, which sounds pretty damn close to _Laxus_, he has 'raging blue eyes', he's muscular, and he even called _you_—" she stopped herself briefly, taking a moment to hiccup. "I'm sorry—_Lizzie_ (nice try by the way), Blondie!" Lucy was speechless yet again. _I can't really argue with that logic, considering that's the logic I used to create his character. _Everyone continued laughing while she puffed out a heavy sigh; she knew she had been caught.

**xxxxxx**

**What are these "implications" of which Erza spoke? What will Lucy's friends think of her strong feelings toward Laxus?**

**Hey, guys! I know that I said I would try to post only once or twice a week, but I'm way ahead of schedule right now, so expect a few rapid-fire chapters! I hope everyone is enjoying so far! Stay tuned!**


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay fine, so maybe I do have _slight_ feelings for Laxus, what's the big deal?" Lucy admitted, pouting and crossing her arms over her chest.

"The big deal," Erza's tone turned more serious. "Is that he's our guild master. What are you expecting to happen, Lucy?"

"Nothing! I mean, I don't know…I've never thought about it really."

"Lu, I know you're smart, so I also know that you know that not only is he our guild master, but he's a total player. He isn't into the whole relationship thing; he just bounces from one lay to the next. That's all women are to him." Lucy's heart sank at the words of her friends, partially because she knew that everything they had said about him was true. She didn't want to believe that the man who made her heart beat like a drummer on cocaine was nothing but a womanizer, but deep down she knew that there was no way it would ever work out between the two of them.

"I know all of those things, you guys. But then why is this so hard? Why do I still want him even after being aware of the person he really is?" Tears once again threatened to well up in her eyes and spill onto her rosy red cheeks. _I'm pathetic for ever thinking that I could be good enough for someone like him, someone who could have any woman he wants. _

"Because sometimes our hearts and our brains can't come to an accord. One tells us to act rationally, while the other encourages us to be bold and follow our dreams and desires. When that happens, an emotional tug-of-war is inevitable," Erza preached. She gave a sad smile and stared off into the distance. Everyone knew that she was speaking from experience, but no one dared bring up her history with Jellal.

"Besides, you're too good for him anyway!" Cana slurred. "He might have a rockin' ass and a torso I wanna cook my breakfast on, but he has the personality of a sack of potatoes!" _She's had way too much. I can't believe I trusted her with the _entire_ bottle_ _of whiskey. _"And even then, at least the potatoes won't treat you like shit and disappoint you at the end of the day!" The room erupted into a fit of laughter at the Card mage's last comment. It was a beautiful and genuine moment shared between friends, something that Lucy desperately needed after being emotionally drained from all of this.

"Yeah, maybe you guys are right, and the two of us are just better off as fantasy characters."

"I hope that none of this has discouraged you from writing," Levy said apologetically. "Cana was right, that was _hot_! The way you put pen to paper could make anyone tremble down under!" Lucy's mouth dropped open in astonishment.

"_Levy!_" Even Cana was surprised by her lewd comment. Levy cackled at the reactions she was getting from her friends.

"What, I can't unfetter and be crass every once in a while, too?" She winked, biting her thumb seductively. "I mean Lucy writes porn for fun, Cana has the mouth of a drunken sailor, and Erza I can only _imagine _what you do when you're alone and decide to let loose." For the second time today, Erza's face was as red as her own hair, a startled look dominating her expression. Lucy and Cana were practically in tears, and for a moment Lucy almost forgot about the former half of the conversation in which they'd engaged.

**xxxxxx**

**So, now Lucy's friends know the truth about her feelings for Laxus. What events will transpire? Stay tuned!**


	6. Chapter 6

After all the giddiness had subsided, the women in Lucy's apartment collected themselves and returned their thoughts to the matter at hand.

"Can you guys promise me something?" Lucy asked.

"What's that?" The other three responded simultaneously.

"Can you _please _promise not to bring this up in the guild hall, particularly when Laxus is around? Especially since I have to spend enough time with him that it would make things awkward if word got around, being the guild secretary and all."

Erza put her hand to her heart. "I swear on my sacred honor as a Fairy Tail wizard."

Levy gave Lucy a thumbs up. "You can count on me!"

"I'll drink to that!" Cana raised her glass in accordance. _This girl's liver must be screaming, that bottle was full when she got here!_

Just as they were preparing themselves to discuss other matters of the guild (in other words, gossip, mostly about the very sexual relationship between Elfman and Evergreen that had blossomed recently), Lucy heard a small _thump_ come from upstairs. She smiled to herself. _Speak of the devil. _She grabbed the papers from where Erza had set them on the end table next to the couch and ran upstairs to greet her pink-haired friend, yelling "I'll be right back!" behind her. No one questioned it, as they had all heard Natsu falling in through her bedroom window. _Maybe one of these days he'll learn how to use the god damned door…right after Gray stops randomly stripping, in battle or otherwise. _She rolled her eyes at her own thoughts.

She opened her bedroom door, grinning lovingly as she gazed down at the pile of Dragon Slayer on her floor. "Hiya, Lucy!" He smiled and waved up at her from his awkward position, pretending as though he didn't notice that he had eaten shit a moment prior. _He's always so happy, even when he faceplants on my floor. _

"Hey, Natsu!" she replied cheerily.

"So, what's for dinner?" Lucy's brow furrowed in exasperation.

"You just broke into my house and the first thing you say to me besides 'hello' is about food?!"

"Well yeah, I can't help it that I have a dragon's appetite." Lucy knew this to be true. She put her free hand up to her face and pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing.

"Fine, I'll make you something to eat. What do you want?"

"Anything but fish," Natsu groaned. "Me and Happy went on a fishing trip a few days ago and that's all we've had to eat. If I even _look_ at another fish, I might—" Natsu cut himself short, covering his mouth with his hand, his stomach threatening to heave up his lunch from earlier.

"Okay, okay, I get the picture, I don't need a visual," Lucy responded.

"Oh, hey Luce?"

"Yeah?"

"If I don't change out of these clothes I might hurl. The whole house has reeked of fish and I smell like a sushi bar."

"Fine, there are some of your clothes in the first drawer of the dresser next to my desk." Lucy had become so accustomed to Team Natsu crashing here that the three of them had taken reign of one of her dresser drawers.

"Thanks, Luce." He gave her that award-winning goofy grin. "I'll change and then I'll be down in a jiffy."

"Okay, but do me a favor and stay _away _from my underwear drawer?" Lucy raised one eyebrow as if to scold him. She had caught both Natsu and Gray rifling through her delicates on more than one occasion, so she felt it necessary to remind them to keep their hands to themselves every time they had the opportunity to be unsupervised in her room.

"Fine," Natsu agreed, a slight pout in his tone.

Lucy turned away to exit before she realized that she was still clutching her story in what was now somewhat of a fist. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She jogged over to her desk and laid the papers down with caution, so as not to disturb their order.

"Whatcha got there?" Natsu questioned. He had stripped down to his underwear before she had even left. _Jesus, Natsu is the _last _person who needs to be reading this. _

"Oh, just a little something I've been working on," she said coolly. "And could you do me a favor and wait until I'm _gone _before you start taking off your clothes?!"

"Oh yeah, sorry!" _What a goofball. _Lucy walked out, closing the door behind her. She made her way down the stairs and to the kitchen so that she could start on dinner. _Anything but fish_, she reminded herself. _Hmm, maybe chicken stir-fry? I'll ask the girls when I get downstairs._

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she entered the kitchen and pulled out the pack of chicken that had been thawing from the fridge, slamming it down on the counter a bit more forcefully than she'd intended. Subsequently, she poked her head into the living room to look at her guests.

"Hey, are you all staying for dinner?"

"I should probably get going. I promised Mira that I would lock up the guild hall for her tonight so that she could run some errands." Erza replied regretfully.

"Me too. I told Jet and Droy that we could all go out tonight and treat ourselves after the mission we just got back from last night. It was pretty tough!" said Levy.

"Cana, what about you?"

"I would love to stick around, but I have an…_appointment_." She winked at Lucy. _Yeah, a dick appointment with Bixlow. _At least one of them was getting laid tonight.

Lucy sighed, a bit disappointed, but she understood that her request was pretty last-minute. Everyone stood from their respective furniture (and Cana from the floor) to leave when suddenly, a thunderous roar of laughter came from upstairs. Before anyone knew what was happening, Natsu was riding the railing of the staircase until his feet stopped him at the bottom and he not-so-gracefully tumbled to the floor, still guffawing as he got up. _So, you can't ride in any sort of vehicle for more than 0.04 seconds without getting sick, but my staircase railing is fair game, I guess, _she thought, slightly irritated.

"You guys, you've _got _to see this!" Lucy hadn't noticed before, but it looked like Natsu was holding a stack of…oh no. Oh _NO_. "This is hilarious!"

**xxxxxx**

**What'll happen now that Natsu has gotten his paws on Lucy's latest work? Stay tuned!**


	7. Chapter 7

"Natsu, where did you get those papers?" Lucy's patience was wearing thin at this point.

"Off of your desk. I got curious when you told me that you were working on something new, and I wanted to check it out!" Natsu was so naïve sometimes that it was physically painful. Once again, Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled a lengthy sigh. _Honestly, I blame myself for even mentioning it in his presence._

"And who gave you permission to touch it? Was it me?" she growled.

"Well, you didn't tell me _not_ to touch it!"

"I didn't think I had to, you idiot! I don't know why you think you can just casually rummage through my shit at your leisure!" Now, she was yelling, her face turning almost as red as it had after Cana's commentary earlier.

As if steam wasn't practically already cascading from Lucy's ears, Natsu had the nerve to say, "By the way, you know you spelled Laxus' name wrong, right?" And that was the final straw; her stomach migrated south, from her ass to the floor. Lucy heard a chorus of giggles coming from behind her. She whipped around to glare at them, even Erza to whom she couldn't normally hold a candle when it came to the intimidation game. They all fell silent, staring back at her in horror; one might think that she had grown a second head right in front of them. She turned back to Natsu.

"What the hell are you talking about you dimwit?"

"It's pretty obvious that you're talking about him, with the description of his eyes and the muscles, and you even used the nickname that he calls you. I'm just really confused at how you did it so many times. I mean come on Luce; I didn't think you were so dumb that you wouldn't even spell it right _one single time._" _Wow_. Lucy's jaw dropped. She didn't understand how he could be so obtuse and yet so deductive within the same instance, but what she did understand was that if even Natsu, the most oblivious person she'd ever met in her entire life, could figure it out, this story could never leave the house again. _If Laxus were to see or even hear about it_…she shivered at the idea.

"Listen, Natsu, I am neither going to confirm nor deny that what you're saying is true, but either way, you _can not _say _anything_ to _anyone_, especially Laxus, about this. Do you understand me? Not a peep." Her tone was gravely serious and her face rosy.

"Okay, okay, you have my word that I won't say nothin'." He sniggered.

"What's so funny?" Lucy placed her hands on her hips and scowled at him.

"It's just that…I didn't know you were so horny all the time!" Lucy could feel her blood boiling over. She charged at Natsu and punched him in the arm with all the physical strength that she could muster.

"_No, I'm not! _I'm just trying to broaden my horizons as a writer, but I wouldn't expect _you_ to understand that!" Natsu still couldn't stop giggling, even as he held his arm in pain.

"Whatever you say, Luce."

"Do you _want _me to poison your dinner?" Natsu's expression changed from one of playfulness to one of seriousness. Lucy raised her eyebrow and grinned underhandedly. She knew that she had the advantage now; one could call Natsu an idiot all one wanted but threatening his favorite thing in the world besides Happy was no laughing matter.

"…no." He pouted and crossed his arms like a child who had just been thwarted by his or her parents.

"That's what I thought." Even though the group of women standing behind Lucy had momentarily ceased their laughter when Lucy had glared them down, they picked it back up when the knew she had won the argument.

"Good night, Lucy. I'll see you tomorrow at the guild hall." Erza bade her farewell. Levy and Cana also wished their feisty friend a good night, and then Lucy and Natsu were alone.

"So, what's for dinner? I'm starvin'!" He beamed at her.

**xxxxxx**

**Even Natsu figured it out! So what does this mean for Lucy?**

****As a side note, I may or may not be posting another chapter later today since I realize that this one was relatively short and uneventful. Stay tuned!**


	8. Chapter 8

Lucy finished preparing their meal, and served a heaping plate to her uninvited guest, who began scarfing it down from her hands before she had fully set it down on the table.

"You couldn't have waited until I set the plate down on the table?"

"No way, I'm _so _hungry!" Natsu managed between mouthfuls of white rice and stir-fry. Lucy did not much appreciate the small chunks of food he spat everywhere as he spoke.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you not to talk with your mouth full? Natsu chugged the glass of water before him and wiped his mouth with a satisfied exhale.

"Nope! Dragons don't even use tables, so why would Igneel teach me table manners?" He belched loudly, complimenting the chef on a job well done. _Hmm...that's actually a valid point. _Lucy settled in at the table with her own plate of food, staring at Natsu, whose plate was already clean. He rubbed the newly-formed bulge in his stomach affectionately, as if it were a baby. "Boy, I'm full!"

"I can see that," she smiled. "I'm glad you liked it."

"It was pretty tasty! Thanks!"

When the two had finished eating, Lucy placed the dirty dishes in the sink and headed for the living room couch, Natsu following loyally behind her. They sat and talked for hours, as they often did, into the later hours of the evening, conversing about their team, past missions, the guild, and miscellaneous topics.

At roughly 2AM, Natsu's eyes began to droop and he yawned, stretching his arms out as far as they would go. "Well, I'm beat. Time for bed?"

"Time for bed," Lucy concurred. "Hey, would you mind putting my story back on my desk while I get ready for bed?" Natsu nodded, barely conscious. They ascended the stairs, and Lucy engaged in her nightly routine; she brushed her teeth, flossed, washed her face, applied a layer of moisturizer, and took her birth control pill. When she had finished in the bathroom, she switched off the light and walked to her bedroom. When she entered, she saw that the papers had been returned to her desk where they belonged, and Natsu was already passed out on top of the comforter on the side of the bed closest to the window. Although Lucy's feelings for him were platonic, she couldn't help but be enthralled with how cute he was when he slept. _It's weird to see Natsu so peaceful. It's soothing. _

Trying her best not to disturb him, she crawled into bed and pulled the covers over herself, at least as much as she could with the extra weight. She smiled thinking about her best friend being next to her and closed her eyes. Before she knew it, she had drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

**_The Next Morning**_

The sunshine peeked in through the curtains in Lucy's bedroom window, signaling to her that the time to awaken had come. When her reluctant eyes popped open, she rubbed them, sat up, and yawned. After a few moments, she looked over at the spot to her left and realized that Natsu was gone. _Maybe that would explain why I suddenly felt so cold last night._ Natsu was not the most graceful man by a long shot, but somehow, he was always able to sneak out of Lucy's bedroom undetected. Then again, she wasn't the lightest sleeper, which she was sure made it easier for him. On the spot where he had lain, there was a small square of paper with chicken scratch printed on it that read:

_'Hey, Luce. Sorry to sneak out on you, but I had some things to do this morning. Hope you slept well. You mumbled Laxus' name an awful lot, and you tossed and turned the whole time, but don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I'll see you later at the guild hall._

_Natsu'_

Lucy blushed at the prospect of having uttered her crush's name while sleeping, especially since Natsu had spent the night last night. _How embarrassing. I really need to get this under control, but it's not my fault that he drives me so crazy. _

She stood from her bed, slid into her slippers, and began her sacred morning routine, which consisted of her brushing her teeth, drawing herself a bath, shaving (an aspect which she sometimes let slide for two or three days), exfoliating, washing her hair, and moisturizing extensively. Occasionally she would treat herself to a mud mask, but that was mostly for special occasions, like dates or nights out with friends. Come to think of it, Lucy couldn't remember the last time she'd had reason to spoil herself like that. She grimaced at the idea.

When she was finished, she felt radiant and absolutely beautiful. _There is nothing better than feeling clean, _she contemplated. She walked to her closet and opened the doors to reveal a vast wardrobe full of tops of all kinds; halter tops, long and short-sleeved t-shirts, blouses, cardigans, jackets, and sweaters. Lucy was a lover of fashion and variety, which was heavily reflected by her apparel. For today's outfit, she had settled on a jean skirt with a solid black belt, a pink off-shoulder top, and a pair of solid white sneakers.

After she had dressed herself, she admired her figure in the mirror, doing a few cute poses to confirm that this was the outfit that she wanted to wear. She decided that it was, noticing that this particular ensemble made her seem even more well-endowed and curvaceous than usual. She walked to her desk to grab her whip and keys, securing them to her belt, when she noticed that something felt…off.

"I'm pretty sure that this is all I usually take with me to the guild hall, isn't it…?" she pondered aloud. In fact, she was sure of it, yet she couldn't shake the sensation that something wasn't quite right. She rested her finger against her chin, thinking, wondering. When it finally hit her, her eyes widened, and her stomach did somersaults in her abdominal cavity. _Wait…didn't Natsu bring my story up with him last night and lay it on my desk…?_

**xxxxxx**

**Where could Lucy's story possibly be? Stay tuned! **

****As promised, here is the second chapter of the day due to the other one being not-so eventful. Thank you to everyone who has left feedback for me so far, and I hope you all are enjoying my work! It's had a bit of a slow start (as I had forewarned that it would), but things start to pick up a bit in the next chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

Lucy looked everywhere for the stack of papers, practically tearing her apartment apart in the process. She ripped the cushions off the couch, moved almost every piece of furniture to look under it, and even went so far as to rummage around in her refrigerator and lift up her mattress to make sure that she hadn't accidentally stuck it in a super stupid place for some reason. After about 45 minutes, she gave up and accepted the fact that they were nowhere to be found. But if not in her home, where could they be? She hadn't gone anywhere since last night, and the only other person that was there after the girls had left was…

Her face scrunched and turned vicious. "_Natsu,_" she growled. "I swear if that pink-haired mother fucker took it with him…" There was nowhere else that it could be; she had already combed through every square centimeter of her home. Both angry and panicked, she made sure that she had everything that she needed. She virtually sprinted to the door, opened it, and locked it behind her as she dashed for the guildhall.

**_At the guildhall**_

Lucy burst through the doors, scanning the room frantically for her fiery friend.

"Is there something wrong, Lucy?" She heard a gentle voice say. She looked down, startled, to find Makarov standing beside her. He could tell that she was flustered about something.

"Oh, no, Master! I was just looking for Natsu and Gray, have you seen them by chance?" Lucy rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. Makarov could tell that she was hiding something, but he was not one to meddle.

"Remember Lucy, I'm not your Master anymore. You can just call me 'Makarov'." He gave her a reassuring smile. "As for your companions, I believe that they were last seen somewhere in the vicinity of that corner." He pointed to his right, where a smaller table was lodged in the corner away from the main isles of larger tables.

"Thank you, Mas—I mean, Makarov." She returned his grin. _It's so weird to not call him 'Master', to think that he has an actual name. _She began to run toward the table while waving goodbye to her dear friend.

When she reached the corner, Natsu and Gray were giggling incessantly about something. Lucy knew that something wasn't right with this scene. _The two of them are usually at each other's throats and trying to beat the shit out of each other._

"Hey, boys, what's going on?" She planned to play it cool for now. There was still a chance that Natsu hadn't taken her property, after all, even though the odds were pretty slim.

"Oh, the usual, nothing much." Gray's laughter subsided as he responded to Lucy's question. Natsu, however, was still cracking up to himself. What was going on with him?

"Yeah, nothing much," Natsu tried stifling his giggling, but failed.

"It's just that my good pal Natsu here was showing something '_shocking' _that he found yesterday." Gray once again erupted into a bout of laughter, putting his arm around Natsu.

"Yeah, Luce, sorry that I _'bolted' _on you this morning, but I had to let him see it!" The two of them cackled like a couple of hens.

"It was a very en-_'lightning' _experience for both of us." Gray and Natsu were in tears and unable to breathe with Gray's last utterance. Lucy's jaw dropped as she went red from head to toe. _Oh. My. God. _She honestly had no idea what to say.

"What's so funny?" Erza approached her teammates. Natsu and Gray started laughing even harder with her arrival. "Well? I'm waiting." She crossed her arms impatiently and raised a concerned eyebrow.

"Erza…you gotta see…Lucy…she…she…" Gray tried and failed to choke out. Lucy sat down across the table from the boys and buried her head in her arms, wishing that she could just disappear.

"Spit it out, Gray. What did she do?" He took a moment to compose himself while Natsu wiped the tears from his own eyes.

"She wrote this stuff about Laxus, she's got the hots for him! _Laxus_, of all people!" He coughed, trying to prevent himself from losing control again.

"And?" Erza was not about to entertain these two morons, especially considering the conversation that the women had shared the previous night; she knew how difficult this was for Lucy and how she felt about him.

Natsu and Gray's expressions dropped, and their brows furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong with _you_?" Natsu asked boldly. "This stuff is funny!"

"I find nothing funny about meddling in the emotional affairs of others and using feelings as leverage to mock someone." _Thanks, Erza, you're amazing._

"But just _read _it! It's so dirty!" Gray giggled like a child that had just done something he wasn't supposed to.

"As a matter of fact, I _have _read it, and I think it's brilliant. Sure, it may be based on her emotions, but that's what make it pure and authentic. Maybe you two could learn a thing or two about how to be passionate about something from her." Lucy's head rose from her arms, and she smiled with tears in her eyes. _Thank you_, she mouthed at Erza, who retaliated by grinning back at her. "Also, Natsu, I feel that I must ask; how did you ever get Lucy to agree to let you borrow her story? It isn't exactly supposed to be public knowledge." _Boy, she is going to _get_ him._

Natsu's face paled. "Well I—I mean…I kinda maybe just borrowed it from her desk this morning? I was just gonna show it to Gray and bring it back, but—"

"I'm going to stop you right there." Erza held her hand out to silence him. "So not only did you take this from her without her knowledge after you had explicitly _promised _her not to tell anyone, but then you had the _audacity _to bring it into a public space given the nature of the piece _and_ show it to your buddy with the intention of making _fun_ of her about it?" Erza spat the words, disgusted. It was pretty hard to piss her off this much, but if someone did…well, it was presumed that one had already made arrangements for one's own funeral.

"I mean, when you put it like that, it sounds shitty. And besides, I never broke my promise. I didn't _tell_ Gray, I _showed_ him," Natsu said sheepishly.

"Hand over the papers. _Now_." Erza stuck out her hand, and Natsu did as he was told. Erza handed them to Lucy, who laid them on the table in front of her. "I believe these belong to you." Then, without giving it a second thought, Erza grabbed him by the ear and yanked him out of his seat.

"I guess I need to teach you a lesson about the value of privacy and loyalty," she muttered, dragging him toward the guild's exit.

Gray stood up on the table around which they'd been gathered. "Hey, everyone!" He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted. "I think Erza's gonna kick Natsu's ass!" An uproar surged throughout the guild; the excitement in the air was almost tangible. The guildhall was just about empty when people got up and made their way outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of Erza pummeling Natsu into a bloody pink pulp. The only ones that remained were Lucy, Warren, Max, Laxus, and Mirajane, who remained behind the bar. _Wow, even Makarov wanted a piece of the action_, Lucy smirked. She would have loved to see Natsu get his butt handed to him on a silver platter, but she really wasn't feeling up to much after the morning she'd had.

**xxxxxx**

**So, now that Lucy has recovered her lost story, and Natsu is learning his lesson, what will happen next? Stay tuned!**

**Hey, everyone! I tried to make this chapter a little longer, as a couple of you have expressed that you would like to see longer chapters, so I will try to keep that in mind for the future (at least after the next chapter; I intentionally made it short to create suspense)! I hope you all are still enjoying it!**


	10. Chapter 10

The guildhall was void of much human presence, so it wasn't hard to hear the conversation that began at the bar a even though it was roughly 15 feet away. "Laxus, aren't you going to even_ try_ to stop this from happening? You _are_ the guild master, after all." Mira pointed out.

"What'd be the fun in that?" He smiled in his signature cocky way. Even looking at him sometimes was enough to make Lucy's cheeks turn slightly pink. "Titania will beat the shit out of him, they'll fix their issue, and the sheep'll disperse. I'm not trying to get in her way."

"One of those sheep is your grandfather, you know."

"Cheeky old bastard." He took a large swig of beer from his mug. "Top me off, will you?"

"Isn't it a little early for you to be getting hammered?"

"Hey, I don't tell you how to live your life." Mira decided that was fair enough and drew him another mug from the tap.

**_A little while later**_

Lucy was feeling better after Erza had stood up for her, and after she had watched her drag Natsu out of the guild hall to beat him senseless. She stretched and stood from her seat, her chair making a slight noise as it rubbed against the floor. Out of instinct, Laxus' head snapped around to locate the source of the noise, and Lucy found herself fixed on his gaze, frozen momentarily like a deer in the headlights. Laxus smirked at her, then returned his gaze to Mira. Lucy almost melted as she walked across the room. She climbed the stairs that were next to the bar. On the second floor was the main office where Lucy was employed, filing papers and doing minor accounting tasks for Laxus. She was finally feeling capable of getting some work done, and she wanted to seize the opportunity while it was there. Besides, she _definitely _needed to take her mind off of the events of the last 24 hours.

She sat at the desk that was positioned near the back wall of the room. The giant windows were alive with the sunlight that poured in through them, and the entire room was aglow with the elegant rays. _What a perfect day to be productive. _

She looked at the stack of papers before her on the desk. She knew that she had been putting this off for way too long, as the pile was enormous, probably at least a foot tall. However, she was determined right now, and she resolved that she would organize everything into its proper place by the day's end. She decided that the best course of action would be to utilize the floor so that she would have adequate space to work, so she lifted the papers, placed them on the floor so as not to scatter them everywhere, and began sifting through them, first separating them into piles based on where they belonged in terms of their respective binders or filing cabinets. Just as she had finished categorizing the documents about an hour later, heavy footsteps made their way toward the office door, to which Lucy paid no mind, for she was completely absorbed in the task at hand.

"Should I come back later?" A deep voice startled her. She looked up to see Laxus leaning in the frame of the doorway with his arms behind his back. "You look like you're in the middle of something," he chuckled. Lucy struggled to keep her cool.

"Oh, no, it's fine! I mean I am busy, but if you have something you need to do, I can always put this away and pick it back up some other time."

"Actually, I _could_ use your help with something." _He needs _my _help?_ She gulped.

"Okay, sure. Just give me a minute to clean up here" She began squaring up her piles, laying them on top of one another in a perpendicular fashion so that they didn't get mixed up again. She placed them on one of the many filing cabinets next to the small blue loveseat that set against the wall adjacent to the back wall. As she was doing so, there were two things that Lucy had failed to notice: 1.) That Laxus was holding his own stack of papers and 2.) That he had closed the office door.

**xxxxxx**

**Hey, everyone! As I said in the previous chapter, I made this one a little bit shorter for buildup's sake. Things really start to heat up in Chapter 11! Stay tuned!**


	11. Chapter 11

*****Disclaimer: There maybe some OOC behavior displayed by either Laxus, Lucy, or both of them in this scene. **

He walked across the room and sat in the black leather office chair at the desk. He dropped the papers he had been holding down in front of him with caution, which made the tiniest _tap_ on the mahogany. Lucy turned to face him after she had cleaned up her work from earlier. "So, what did you need, Laxus?"

"Have a seat," he smirked at her. She was confused by his expression, but she obeyed, nonetheless. She went to sit in one of the non-mobile black leather chairs on the opposite side of the desk. She pulled it back to sit down—

"Not there." He said. _Okay? _She pushed it back toward the desk and tried to sit in the other one.

"Not there either." _Ugh, whatever. _She pushed the second chair back in, walked over to the loveseat, and plopped down on it.

"Nope." At this point, Lucy was becoming frustrated. _Where the fuck does he expect me to sit then? On the floor? The only other seat in the room is occupied by his ass already. What, does he want me to sit on…_ A wave of embarrassment washed over her. His grin grew wider; it was like he had read her thoughts. She wasn't 100% sure she'd figured out the little game he was playing, but her theory was was worth a shot, at least. She walked over to him, playing coy…for the moment.

When she stood not even a foot from him, she spoke: "I don't know where else you would want me to—" He grabbed her arm and pulled her onto his lap so that she was sitting sideways in reference to him. She gulped. _Yep, just what I thought. _

"Laxus, what're you—" she gasped as he began pressing his lips tenderly against her neck, throwing one arm around her waist. He raised his free arm up to grab her breast, gently massaging it. A whimper escaped her lips as he trailed his own up her neck and jawline to her ear. He nibbled on her earlobe. She could feel his hot breath on her face. "So, Blondie" he whispered, "It's come to my attention that you _really_ want me to fuck you." Goosebumps popped up over her flesh.

"I have no idea what—"

"Save it." He removed his hand from her chest and used it to pick up the papers he'd brought with him up off the desk. He held them in front of her face as a look of horror took possession of her expression. "I _know_this is yours. You left it as the table where you were sitting with Salamander." _Well, he's got me there. _"Lachlan and Lizzie, huh? You could've been a little more subtle with the names." _Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. _She had been caught red-handed, and worst of all, it was by the one person that she didn't want to see her work more than anyone! _If Natsu is still alive when Erza is done with him, then so help me Mavis I will make it my personal mission to murder him myself. _She couldn't totally blame him, though; if she had only remembered to pick up the papers before leaving the table, Laxus might not have found them. Then again, if Natsu would have kept his grubby hands off of other peoples' things in the first place instead of taking them hostage and bringing them to the guild hall without approval…

Her plans for manslaughter were interrupted by the sensation of her nipple being rolled between Laxus' fingers through her shirt. She bit her lip, suppressing a moan that creeped up on her

.

"That's it, be nice and quiet like a good girl." He said, sucking and biting her neck and collarbone. The waves of pleasure washing over her in that instance were spectacular. She could feel his canines digging into her soft skin. _Damn, is he trying to leave marks?_

"Laxus, what are you doing? What if someone walks in and sees?" It was becoming increasingly hard for her to stay silent with every little touch.

"They'd have to bust down the door first," he chuckled darkly. _What exactly is he planning on doing to me? _"But since it's locked, that means that I can do whatever I want to that sexy little body of yours," he said, once again as if reading her every thought. One hand still on her bosom, Laxus moved his other hand from her waist down to her skirt, which he hiked up to reveal a lacy blue thong. "Damn, Blondie, you're _trying _to make me fuck you, aren't you, you fucking tease?" Lucy blushed. _Yes, this is exactly what I was planning on doing today. _He moved his hand down and began to rub her moistening entrance through her panties. Several mewls of pleasure escaped from her throat as she inadvertently wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're so wet, and I've barely done anything." He sounded pleased with himself, continuing to torment her as her lingerie became more soaked each passing moment. Lucy practically screamed as she felt two of Laxus' fingers slide her panties to the side and plunge themselves deep inside of her. "Wow, Blondie, I didn't know you'd be so tight." He moved the hand that was on her breast to the underside of her shirt, groaning as he remembered that she wasn't wearing a bra. Lucy could feel his pants tightening beneath her and herself growing wetter and wanting more than anything to free the lion from its cage. The combination of all of these things was enough to push Lucy over the edge. Not being able to contain it anymore, she cried out in pleasure.

"Laxus, I—I—" she couldn't think straight as she felt a wave of orgasmic pleasure overpowered her every sense, including her vision, which became blurry.

"Aww, you came already?" Laxus chided playfully. "That's a shame. The real fun hasn't even started yet." Lucy was already panting; it wasn't so much that she was tired, but rather overcome with a surge of conflicting emotions on top of the sexual gratification that she was feeling. _There's more?_

Laxus positioned Lucy so that she was sitting close to his knees and started to undo his belt buckle. Lucy stared at his fingers in a combination of horror and pure lust.

"Oh, where are my manners? Do you want to do it _for _me?" Lucy shook her head for fear that she would find a way to fuck this all up. "Suit yourself."

Once the buckle was unfastened, Laxus unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Lucy's heart was racing, still trying to figure out exactly what was going on and how this all came to fruition, but her thoughts were once again disrupted by the sight of his huge erection. Laxus placed his hands on Lucy's waist, flipping her to face him and lifting her as if she weighed nothing. "I hope you're ready." He sneered. "But I'm guessing that by the way you're literally dripping on me, you'll be fine." He eased her down onto his member, being sure not to hurt her. Lucy threw her head back and screamed out his name as she felt her hands combing through his spiky blonde locks. He could feel her walls tightening around him as he rocked her hips up and down.

He stopped momentarily and reached out to put a hand over her mouth. "I thought I told you to be quiet, Blondie," he threatened, his eyes dark and cloudy with desire.

"Sorry," she whimpered, stifling a moan. He picked his pace back up, bouncing Lucy up and down on his cock. Lucy pooled every ounce of her strength into not screaming his name once more, even though she wanted more than anything for him to know how much she was enjoying this. _This is amazing, fuck. Maybe I _should_ be loud, even though he told me not to. I wonder what he would do… _

Just when she thought that it couldn't get anymore intense, Laxus thumbed her clit as he continued to bounce her up and down on his erection. She knew that she was supposed to be quiet, however, she couldn't help but cry out, "Laxus, I'm cumming again!" (perhaps Lucy's masochistic side was showing just a tad, but she felt no shame) as he thrust into her one final time, her juices leaking out and coating his skin. She breathed rapidly, trying to recover from the climax that had essentially knocked the wind out of her. He removed Lucy from himself, positioning her on the floor next to him. She sat there for a moment, on her knees, feeling dazed. _What just happened? Was that real? _

"It would appear that you don't know how to follow simple instructions. If you can't shut up, then I'll do it for you."

Before she had time to form anymore coherent thoughts, the feel of Laxus' palm on the back of her head as it desperately grasped her hair took over, and before she could fathom the situation, she felt him in the back of her throat. She gasped, choking on his girth as tears formed in her eyes. _Is he literally reading my mind somehow? Hello? Anyone there? _

His tempo was steady as he thrusted in and out of her mouth, groaning as she sucked on his throbbing erection. Although he was rough, he also made sure not to hurt her, even though she seemed to have no objections to the harsh treatment. He ran his fingers through her soft blonde hair. _Damn, it's so hot watching her taste herself like that. _

"Yeah, that's it, baby. Just like that." Laxus was getting close. "Don't stop!" Lucy did as she was told. Within moments, Laxus let out a growl as he emptied himself into her, shivering from the power of his orgasm. He was also floored by the fact that Lucy had chosen to swallow. _That's so hot, what a babe, _he thought.

"Shit, Blondie, that was wild." He slid his pants back up onto his hips and redid his button and belt.

She tried to rise from the floor, but instantly felt dizzy. She grabbed the desk for support. Laxus smiled at her with his hands resting behind his head. It appeared that he was satisfied with his own performance.

"Don't worry, next time we'll do this some place more private." _Next time?_ He sounded pretty sure of himself. He reached forward and grabbed her story from the desk. "Don't forget this. You wouldn't want to leave it lying around for just anyone to read. At least, not again." He winked at her with an arrogant expression. She snatched the papers from his hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she replied hurriedly, as she sprinted to the exit. She barely managed to fix herself and her clothes, but regardless, she bolted through the door and practically slammed it behind her.

**xxxxxx**

**Alright, first smutty scene of the story! This is the absolute first sex scene that I've ever written, so please don't be too harsh with the criticism! I hope you all enjoyed it, as I've made you wait for a pretty long time. Also, this is only a taste of what's to come, so stay tuned!**

****Edit: Hey, all! I wasn't 100% satisfied with what I posted yesterday, so I added a bit more and did some editing to make it a little more interesting. I hope you enjoy it, and thank you for the feedback! You all are great!**


	12. Chapter 12

After Lucy left the office, she was panting as her mind and heart raced. _What in the actual fuck just happened?_ _Did we just have sex in the office where we work? And did I actually, _she gulped, _enjoy_ _it?_ Although she was confused to say the least, that didn't stop her from continuing to drip between her legs as she replayed the encounter over and over again in her mind. She shook her head and tried to snap herself out of the initial shock. _Get it together, Lucy. _

She decided in that moment that the best course of action was to find Levy and ask for advice, and this time, she would _not _involve her other two friends if possible. It's not that she didn't trust them, but she believed that the fewer the people who knew about this, the better. She made her way back down the stairs, trying to keep her composure and walk at a normal pace so as not to arouse any sort of suspicion. She approached the bar where Mira was polishing some of the mugs that she had just washed.

"Hey, Mira!" she greeted her friend evenly.

"Hey, Lucy! Is there something I can help you with?"

"Actually, yes. Have you seen Levy around?"

"You just missed her! She took a job with Shadow Gear, and as far as I know, she won't be back until at least tomorrow night." Lucy's heart sank. She pulled up a seat at the bar and buried her face in her hands. _Now who am I supposed to talk to? _She contemplated talking to Erza, but quickly dismissed the thought, as she feared that her response would fall on one of the two ends of the spectrum: it would either be reprimanding or congratulatory, and likely nowhere in between. _That conversation would be pretty unproductive._

Who then? _Cana would just cheer and suggest that we celebrate with liquor. I couldn't tell Natsu either. If he ever found out that Laxus touched me like that…_ she shuddered at the notion. Yes, it was true that Laxus was stronger than Natsu, but when it came to Lucy, Natsu would stop at _nothing_ to ensure her safety, even if it meant killing someone, and even if that someone was another dragon slayer. _Gray is about as emotionally intelligent as a cucumber, and I know that he would tell Natsu. _

"Is something troubling you, Lucy?" Lucy glanced at the Take Over mage, hot tears threatening to spill over onto her pallid cheeks.

"No, I'm fine." She feigned a smile, but Mira wasn't convinced.

"I won't pry, but you know that I'm always here for you if you need to talk." Mira gave her an earnest grin, and a warm feeling spread across Lucy's body.

"I know you are, and I appreciate it. Thanks, Mira." She uttered, sincerely, yet gloomily. "I think I just need to go home and get some rest. Apparently, I didn't sleep so well last night."

"Well, you just be careful going home. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

Lucy made sure to clutch her papers tightly to her chest; she intended to make sure that they didn't leave her field of vision again. She began to exit through the doors of the guild hall to return home, when she heard a familiar voice.

"Yo, Lucy!" She scowled when she turned around to see the pink-haired menace running toward her. _He sure has some nerve. _She turned her back and continued to take her leave, slamming the door shut behind her. _Don't look back, you can't look back. _When she had managed to walk several feet, the sound of a large door opening and closing fell upon her ears. "Hey! Lucy? Can you hear me? Wait up!" _Of course, I can hear you, big mouth. _

She perceived the thudding of footsteps as he approached her. When he finally caught up to her, he laid a hand on her arm. "Lucy, what's—" He cut himself off when she jerked away from him, giving him the cold shoulder and refusing to look at him.

"I'm not in the mood, Natsu." She continued walking.

"Lucy…" She didn't see it, but his face fell like a puppy who had just been abandoned by its owner. "Did I do something wrong? Talk to me!" he begged.

"I have nothing to say to you right now." Sometimes, his naivety was infuriating.

"Lucy…" She was angry with him, but the more he talked, the more she just wanted to break down and hug him, to tell him about what happened, but she knew that she never could. "Could you stop walking for just a second?" His request surprised her a bit, but she complied, although she still refused to face him.

"Hey, listen Luce, I know you're mad at me, but…" he paused. "Please, let me stay with you tonight. I…I need to make sure that you're okay. You don't even have to say anything, but please, _please _just let me keep you company. I can tell somethin's wrong, and I want to be there for you, even if you don't talk to me." Lucy's face puckered as she tried with all of her might not to cry. _He still wants to stay with me even after I've been so mean to him. _She almost couldn't wrap her head around it. "Luce…?"

She turned around to meet his gaze, and Natsu's face was twisted with pain as realized just how upset she was. She ran to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and whispered, "Please, stay with me." He was floored by her sudden change in demeanor, but he embraced her regardless, wrapping one of his own arms around her waist and using the other to stroke her hair.

"Let's get you home," he said sympathetically. With that, he practically carried her there. When the two arrived at the apartment, they ascended the stairs, changed into their night clothes, and promptly went to bed, with Lucy curled up into Natsu's chest and his arms wrapped around her in a protective cuddle. _I don't know what's going on, but no matter what, you know I'm always_ _going to protect you, Lucy, _Natsu thought to himself.

_***The Next Morning***_

Natsu awoke, his arms still wrapped around Lucy from the previous night. She was out cold, and he couldn't help but smile as he brushed the hair away from her face. _She's really beautiful when she's asleep. So peaceful and happy. _As if his thoughts had startled her, she jolted awake, a cold sweat breaking out across her face and chest.

"Laxus?" she uttered, still barely conscious.

"No, I'm not Laxus," he frowned. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes widened as she, now very much awake, realized what she had suggested.

"Oh, sorry Natsu." She almost sounded disappointed.

"What do you even see in that clown, anyway?" he blurted out, a twinge of envy present in his voice. "You know he doesn't care about you or anyone except himself, but you still talk about him in your sleep. Why do you let him do that to you, Luce? You deserve better." His words took her by surprise. _Well, I sure wasn't expecting to get the third degree as soon as my eyes popped open, but here we are. _

"Natsu, it's just a harmless crush. I'm sure it'll go away."

"Oh yeah?" He challenged. "Then why did you _reek _of his scent when you left the guild hall yesterday?" Lucy's face dropped, her expression morphing into a hybrid of horror and guilt.

"Look, we were just working together, that's all. We were both in the office for a little while, and it must've rubbed off on me. "

Natsu shook his head. "Don't lie to me, Lucy. I could smell him all over you, almost like you took a bath in him." Lucy bit her lower lip, fighting back the urge to cry her eyes out yet again. Her gaze fell to the floor. A low growl escaped from Natsu's throat. "Lucy, _what _did he do to you?"

"He didn't do an—" Natsu cut her off with a threatening glare.

"What did he do? I want to know."

"Look, I know you're just being protective and all, but even if anything _did_ happen, well…"

"Well, what?"

"Well…" she began again. She didn't want to sound cruel, but maybe that's what it would take to get him off her back. "Even if something _did _happen, it's none of your business, Natsu." He looked hurt, but only for a moment.

"Did he hurt you?"

"What? What makes you—"

"_Did_ he hurt you?" Natsu repeated himself. Lucy could tell by his body language that he was becoming impatient with her stalling, but she also knew that she couldn't tell him about the encounter that she and Laxus had had the day prior.

"Natsu, I'm fine, really." She assured him. She took his cheek in her hand and smiled at him, staring into his eyes.

As if on cue, the bedroom door swung open. "Hey flame brain, where have you been? Me and Happy were waiting at the guild hall for your ass all morning!" Gray froze (no pun intended) when he saw the way that Lucy and Natsu were interacting. "Uh, am I interrupting something here?" Lucy's hand jerked away, and she looked at Gray.

"No, not at all!" she stumbled, embarrassed.

"Actually, we were just talking." Natsu said disgruntled, crossing his arms.

"About what? Happy's all upset that you forgot about the fishing trip we were gonna take today, so it better be good!" Lucy was surprised; the idea of Gray and Natsu on a fishing trip together was almost laughable, considering that they normally couldn't go five minutes without scrapping. The only reason the fighting usually stopped was because Erza was there, but if only the two of them and Happy were going…

Lucy's thoughts were grounded as Natsu gave Gray a glance that made him take a step back. "Listen, ice princess, first of all, I didn't _forget _about my little buddy. Something important came up, and I was trying to deal with it." His implications were clear when he made a vague motion in Lucy's direction, even though she didn't really catch it. "Laxus, he…did something to Lucy."

Gray's disgust turned to astonishment. He turned his attention to Lucy. "Hey, are you okay? What'd he do to you?"

Before Lucy had the chance to respond, Natsu cut in. "I can't get her to tell me, but all I know is that his scent is all over her. _All. Over._"

Gray's expression turned dark. "Lucy, what did he do to you?" _He almost never calls me by my name… _"Did he hurt you? If he did, I'm going to give that thunder freak a piece of my mind."

"No, he didn't hurt me." She reiterated, letting out a heavy sigh. "Listen you guys, I appreciate your concern and all, but really, I'm okay."

After a couple moments of looking at her through narrowed eyes and scrutiny, Natsu said, "Fine,", defeated. "But if he ever does _anything _that even _remotely _upsets you, I'm going to kick his ass," he pouted. Lucy gave him an exasperated smile. _He means well, but Mavis can he be exhausting sometimes. Oh well, at least I know he cares about me. _

"Hey, you can count me in on that." Gray smiled at Lucy. "Now come on, fire clown! Let's go before Happy leaves without us!" Gray dashed out of the bedroom, still running as he yelled "Later!"

"I better catch up to him," Natsu said, happy but still concerned. "I'll be back tomorrow. If you need me, just find Warren and have him get in touch with me. I'll be there before you know it." He smiled a toothy grin at her.

"Thanks, Natsu." She pulled him into a tight hug, and before she could register what had happened, the Dragon Slayer vanished out of her window. She smiled. _What a lovable idiot. _

Lucy walked downstairs and plopped down on her couch, picking up a pillow and cuddling it. It was a comforting sensation, and Mavis knew that she needed comfort right now. With the only person that she wanted to talk to being out of town until at least that night, Lucy had decided that she would remain at home for the rest of the day; she felt it logical to avoid the guild hall altogether on the off-chance that she might run into Laxus. _He's probably on a mission with the Thunder Legion right now, but I don't want to take any chances. _The tension in her body was so prominent that it was causing her to clench her jaw, something she almost never did.

A few moments later, she heard a knock on the door. She assumed that it was Gray or Natsu coming to claim some item that one of them had forgotten. _So, they finally decided to knock for once, huh? _She grinned lightheartedly. She sprung up from the couch and sauntered to the door, joking as she opened it: "Wow, you guys finally learned how to use the front door—" she cut herself off and her playful expression vanished.

"I've known how to use doors for a while now. Or did you not figure that out yesterday?" Laxus smirked, his arms folded over his chest.

**xxxxxx**

**What a whirlwind! First, Natsu becomes suspicious that something is going on, and then Laxus shows up at her door?! What crazy events will transpire next? Stay tuned!**

****Also, as requested by many of you, I am in the process of making my chapters longer. This one is the longest so far, and all of them may not be quite this long, but I will at least try to get over 1000 words. Thank you all for your feedback!**


	13. Chapter 13

_What in the actual fuck? _"Laxus? What're _you_ doing here?" Lucy's voice began to tremble with panic. "How did you even know where I lived?"

"Relax, Blondie. I know where everyone lives, it's on file," he replied coolly. That didn't answer the question of _what_ he was doing here, however. He turned his nose up, as if something stunk. "Man, Salamander must spend a lot of time here; his scent is everywhere." She could hear the twinge of jealousy in his voice which suggested that he didn't like that Natsu hung out there so much. _It's my damn house and he's my best friend, get over it. _

"Listen, I wasn't planning on coming to the guild hall today, so if you need some paperwork done, I promise that I'll do it all tomorrow, no matter how late—"

"I didn't come here to talk to you about paperwork, Lucy." She felt her face redden intensely as the sound of her name escaped his lips_. Wow, I don't think I've ever actually heard him call me by my name before. _He made his way to her couch and sat down with care. Lucy took caution to sit on the couch also, but as far away from him as she could manage.

"Then why are you here?" Lucy squeaked.

"To finish what we started." Lucy gulped as the words left his lips, quivering with a mixture of fear and anticipation. _What we did yesterday wasn't considered "finishing"?!_ Laxus could sense her fear, and to some extent it pleased him, probably because he was always one to demand control of a situation. "But before we do, I…I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me." For the first time since Lucy had known him, she saw a look of humility overcome his features.

"W-What do you m-mean by that?" She inquired, curious.

"Look, I know that I come on strong." _Wow, that's literally the understatement of the century. _"And if I upset you yesterday, I didn't mean to. I just…I thought that that was what you wanted." Lucy was almost confused at the sudden change in his behavior, her eyes widening with wonder. _It's like he transformed from a wild animal to a civilized human being right in front of me. I didn't know he was capable of being anything other than cocky. _"I'm not a stranger when it comes to dealing with chicks, but you're just…different, somehow. It's fucking weird and it bothers me."

"I mean, don't get me wrong; I really enjoyed what happened yesterday, but it was quite a surprise, to say the least. And what do you mean by 'different'? Different how?"

"It's hard to explain it."

"Try," she demanded.

"It's like…I can't stop thinking about you."

"You hardly know me, Laxus."

"You're one to talk, Blondie. At least I don't walk around writing smut about people that I'm attracted to." The smugness had returned to his voice. She blushed because she knew he was right .

"I'm sorry that _that's_ how you found out about it." Her head fell and her eyes began to water. She felt his finger lift her chin to meet his eyes.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

Lucy scoffed. "You're kidding me, right?" Laxus shook his head. "Like I could ever tell someone like _you_ about my true feelings."

"Someone like me? What's _that _supposed to mean?" He raised his eyebrow in an offended manner.

"You know…" she suggested.

"No, I _don't_ know."

Lucy was getting aggravated. "You and I…we're just..from two different worlds."

"I don't follow."

"Fine, you idiot! You're way out of my league, and you're a total player to boot! I'm the settling-down type, and you're the one-night-stand type! You treat women like your personal playthings, and I'm not interested in being used! Is _that _what you wanted to hear?" She could feel her tears burning her skin as they flowed freely down her crimson cheeks. She turned away from him and tried to hide the pain she was feeling. She stood from the couch, intending to walk away, when she felt the pressure of Laxus' hand grabbing her wrist.

"Is…is that what you think of me?" Lucy's heart sank at the pain that was evident in his voice.

"Yes, it is. I've heard enough to know better than to get involved…"

He sighed. "I know I have a history, there's no denying that."

"A very long and detailed history, at that," she agreed. "I'm not the the hit-it-and-quit-it type, Laxus; I never have been, and I never will be—" He stood, grabbed her by arms and pulled her into a passionate kiss. She wanted to melt into him, to not hold back and unleash the passion that had been intensifying inside of her for years, but she was also strong and intelligent enough to know that she wouldn't be used as a booty call, especially by the guild's resident playboy. She put her palms against his chest and pushed him away.

"Were you even listening to me?" she shrieked. She balled her hands into fists.

"I heard every word that you said. You want commitment. I get that." Lucy was a bit taken aback by the fact that actually paid attention to her little speech. "Now are you going to kiss me, or what?"

"That depends." She was determined to make him understand her position.

"On?"

"What am I to you?"

"I…I don't know." He admitted.

"Then I think we're done here, Laxus."

"Listen, I'm just…I'm not good at this kind of stuff," he admitted sheepishly. It was almost too strange to watch a man with a hulking figure adopt the posture of a shy teenage boy.

"Good at what?"

"Feelings. Never have been." Lucy did remember that Ivan was his dad, after all. _Maybe I'm being too hard on him. With a father like that, he never stood a chance. _"All I know is that when I see you, I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach. It's like this animal or something that's trying to claw its way out and it just never seems to be able to, but it still hurts like hell inside."

"So, I make you feel like you're being attacked by a wild animal?" she smirked at him. _Hey, at least he's trying. _

"I told you I'm not good at this. Just take the hint." He grinned back, his usual arrogance returning, but this time with a hint of innocent playfulness.

"So…what do we do now?"

"I'm not sure. Usually, I lose interest by now. The idea of pursuing someone doesn't really tickle me." Lucy grimaced at his declaration. Noticing her change in expression, he uttered, "Hey, I said usually, meaning you're the exception." Lucy couldn't help but flush. Laxus chuckled as the rosiness of her cheeks was brought to the surface. "How about dinner?"

"R-really?" she squeaked.

"Yeah, really. My place, tomorrow night at 7." It wasn't a request, but a demand. _He cooks?_

"Um, sure?" Lucy sounded dumbfounded, but in reality, she was positively thrilled.

"Is that a question or an answer?" Laxus jabbed.

"Yes?"

Laxus let out a hearty laugh. "Then it's a date." _A DATE?! _Lucy was screaming on the inside.

Laxus walked past her, gripping her arm gently so as to lightly touch her breast along the way, and brushing his lips against her ear. "Oh, and Blondie? Wear something pretty," he whispered, his hot breath tickling her face and sending chills down her spine. He chuckled as he realized his proximity had the desired effect.

Laxus grabbed the door handle and twisted it. When he opened the door to leave, the last person he was expecting to see was standing on Lucy's doorstep.

**xxxxxx**

**I wonder who could be at the door? What will happen now that Laxus and Lucy have learned their true feelings for one another? Stay tuned!**


	14. Chapter 14

"Salamander, what are you doing here?" Laxus uttered, startled.

"Funny, I could ask you the same thing." Natsu's tone was punitive as he crossed his arms and glared at Laxus. "For your information, I forgot my shirt here and came to get it back before I leave town."

"Well, maybe you should be more careful of where you leave things lying around," Laxus spat. It was obvious at this point that the two dragons were becoming very territorial; their postures changed, and very subtle, low-frequency growls were escaping each of their throats. "I'm sure Blondie doesn't appreciate you being so careless."

"Her _name _is Lucy," Natsu snarled at him. "Why are you even here?"

"That's none of your business."

Natsu sneered at him. "Any threat to Lucy's wellbeing _is _my business."

Laxus raised an eyebrow and laughed sarcastically. "Oh yeah? Is that so? And did she _ask _you to be her little bodyguard? How cute."

"Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. What's it to _you_?"

"Look, I'm not here to cause trouble. Get out of my way," Laxus said. _Too little, too late for that, _thought Natsu.

Although Laxus was about a foot taller than he was, that didn't stop Natsu from seizing him by the shirt and pulling him close to his face. "Listen, lightning breath, if you _ever_, and I mean **_ever_**_, _so much as even _think_ about hurting Lucy, I will_ murder_ you." Laxus had rarely ever seen Natsu in such a serious mood, so he was a bit shaken when his life was threatened, even though he knew subconsciously that Natsu was no match for him.

"You think I'm here to hurt her, you pink-haired idiot? Wow, you're more braindead than I thought. And Salamander? You better remember who you're talking to. I'm still your guild master, and you _will _show me respect." Laxus' eyes clouded over, a fierce rage building inside of him.

Just as Natsu reared his fist back to slug Laxus in the face, Lucy intervened, yelling "Stop, you guys!" She looked horrified. Natsu let go of Laxus' shirt and resituated his fist at his side. "What's the matter with you two? Can't you go for ten minutes without picking a fight with someone?"

"Sorry, Luce, guess I got a little carried away," Natsu admitted sheepishly. In all honesty, it was probably best that Lucy had intervened when she did; although Natsu was angry, Laxus was right in that it would've been catastrophic for him to physically assault the guild master.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Blondie," Laxus said, embarrassed. He exited the house fully this time, walking off into the distance, presumably toward the guildhall.

Once Laxus was out of earshot, Lucy inquired, "What was _that _about?"

"I'm not 100% sure. I don't like this feeling that I have, though."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just that," Natsu paused as he contemplated on how to proceed. "I know Laxus is a notorious smartass and all, but something was…strange. It's like he wasn't just being his normal self. There was something…more."

"Care to elaborate?"

"It's like he was being…territorial of you. I could see in his eyes that he was jealous, and the he didn't approve of my being here."

Lucy pressed a finger to her chin, deep in thought. "Come to think of it, he _did_ mention earlier that he could smell your scent all over my stuff, and he didn't seem to like that by the tone of his voice."

Natsu froze, realizing that he was treading in dangerous waters. _Oh no, it can't be…not her. Why her of all people?_ Natsu had a theory, but he also knew that this would be something that Laxus would have to talk to Lucy about himself if it were true.

"Natsu, are you okay?"

He snapped out of his momentary trance. "Yeah, I'm good," he smiled.

"So, what do you think this all means?"

"I think it means that we're reading too much into it. Laxus is kinda a mysterious guy, so maybe he's just being weird." Natsu responded, trying to play it off like he had no idea what was going on.

"I guess," Lucy concurred. "Hey, I thought you and Gray and Happy were all going fishing?"

"We are, but I forgot my shirt here. I just need to run upstairs and get it real quick." Lucy gestured at the door as if to say 'Come in.' Natsu dashed up her stairs two steps at a time and was back down within thirty seconds. "Alright Luce, see you later!" He got to the doorway and stopped. "Oh, and Luce?"

"Yeah?"

"What did he mean by 'See you tomorrow'?"

"Oh, umm…we have a…a uh…a meeting!" she exclaimed. "Yeah, that's it! We're just going to talk about some things." She was mostly trying to convince herself. _I mean, hey, it's not a total lie. We are meeting tomorrow. _

"Ugh, boring!" Natsu joked, losing interest as soon as he heard the word 'meeting'. "Well have fun with your lame meeting! I'm going to catch some fish with my little buddy. See ya!" He waved as he ran off in the direction of his house. Lucy waved back enthusiastically. She shut the door, and flopped down on her couch, emotionally drained.

_I can't believe that Laxus actually asked me on a date. _She smiled to herself. As she continued thinking about how lucky she had been that day, her eyelids grew heavy, and before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep.

_***Later that night***_

Lucy awoke in a sweat. _Damn, it got hot in here_. She squinted, looked at the old grandfather clock positioned in the corner of the room, and saw that it read '9:06 PM'. _Oh shit, I slept for a long time. _

"Lucy? Could you open up please? Are you okay?" Lucy heard the muffled voice coming from the door. She beamed. _I would know that voice anywhere. _She rushed to the door and flung it open.

"Hey, Lu!" Levy smiled, glad to see her friend.

"Levy!" Lucy threw her arms around the small bluenette and twirled her in a circle.

"Talk about a warm welcome!" Levy kidded. "What took you so long? I've been knocking for a solid 15 minutes!"

"Oh, I was asleep. It's been a _long_ 24 hours. You have _no _idea how happy I am to see you!"

"Did I miss something important?" Levy giggled but ceased when she saw how grave Lucy's face had gotten.

"You don't even know the half of it." Lucy grabbed her by the hand and dragged her to the couch. "You might wanna sit down for what I'm about to tell you. It's going to be a wild ride."

"Okay, shoot," said Levy, making herself at home on the sofa.

"Where do I even start?" The past day or so had pretty much run together, and Lucy knew she was going to have to concentrate extra hard to recollect the details of what happened.

"The beginning would probably be a good place." Lucy rolled her eyes at the horrible joke. "Sorry, continue."

"So, here's how everything went down…"

**xxxxxx**

**Hmmm, what could Natsu have thought so important that he decided not to tell Lucy about it? Will he find out the truth about Lucy and Laxus? And what will Levy think about what Lucy is about to tell her? Stay tuned!**

****I want to take a moment to thank everyone that has been kind enough to favorite, follow, or leave a review on my story! It means a lot to me that you all admire my story, and I will keep working hard to make sure that you're satisfied with the outcome! **

**XOXOXO**


	15. Chapter 15

Levy's jaw was virtually on the ground. "Wait wait wait, let me get this straight; Laxus walks into the office with your story, lays it down, coaxes you into sitting on his lap, and then he started…" she blushed.

"Yep."

"Oh my God, Lu, I'm so sorry that I wasn't here for you!" Levy was overcome with a surge of culpability. "If I would have known all that, I would have said 'screw the job' and come home immediately!"

"Hey, don't blame yourself, there's no way anyone could have known that this would happen," Lucy reassured her with a warm smile.

"So, then what happened?"

"Well, I looked for you, then Mira told me you had taken a job, so I left the guildhall. Natsu followed me out, and I was really angry with him about all of it, but then he was so sweet, so I forgave him, and he ended up staying that night with me."

"He always means well."

Lucy sighed. "I know. I feel guilty about being angry with him now. He might have a thick skull sometimes, but he _is_ my best friend after all. I have no idea what I'd do without him." She grinned at the thought of him snuggled up next to her in her bed. _I really am lucky to have him in my life._

"So, he spent the night?"

"Yeah, and then we woke up the next morning and he told me that I had been saying Laxus' name all night. It was so embarrassing! Anyway, then he started giving me the third degree, telling me that he smelled Laxus all over me, and he wouldn't stop hounding me about it. It's a good thing that Gray came upstairs eventually and reminded him about their fishing trip."

"Was he jealous?"

"I'm not sure to be honest. It kind of seemed like it, but you know how protective of me he can be, so maybe it's just that."

"Maybe. Continue."

"So, then they left, and who shows up at my door but _Laxus_. First, he told me that he was here to, and I quote, '_finish what we started'_—"

"Wooo!" Cheered Levy, throwing her arms in the air in triumph.

"Not helping, Levy."

"Sorry." She let her arms fall back down to her sides.

"And then, just when you think it can't possibly get any weirder…he…he…"

"Come on, Lu! Spit it out!"

Lucy gazed into Levy's eyes with an expression that was a cross between sad and thoughtful. "He spilled his guts to me. He told me how he feels about me, and that he can't stop thinking about me. He even asked me to come to his place tomorrow night for dinner."

Levy looked at Lucy, in a state of complete shock. "He…did?"

"Yeah. I know it sounds weird, but it's true."

"Lucy…"

"I know what you're going to say: 'You're better off not getting tangled up in him, he's just going to break your heart'," she imitated her friend.

"That's not what I was going to say at all."

"It's not?"

"No. Look, Lu, you're one of my closest friends in the world, so I'm not going to lie to you; I think you should be careful around him, that I won't deny…but I also think you should go for it."

"You really think so?" Lucy was stunned by Levy's response, especially after the talk that all the girls had a few nights prior.

"I do." Levy smiled at her hearteningly.

"But what about all the stuff that you guys said the other night about how he's our guildmaster and a player?"

"Well, none of us knew all this would happen! Now that I know he's into you for sure, I would _definitely _take advantage!"

"Thanks for your support, Levy. I know there's a chance that maybe I'll get hurt, but you know, there _is _another possibility."

"What's that?

"Maybe I _won't _get hurt. Maybe...maybe he will even be good for me."

"That's very true, and you'll never know unless you take the chance!" Lucy felt empowered by Levy's words of encouragement.

"You're right, I won't!"

"Yeah, my girl Lucy's getting LAID!" Levy yelled. Lucy stared at her for a moment in silence. "Sorry, maybe I got a little carried away," she admitted.

"Maybe just a little," Lucy chuckled, demonstrating by putting a slight distance between her thumb and forefinger.

"So, when are you gonna tell Erza and Cana about this?"

Lucy bit her bottom lip. "Umm, maybe we should see what happens first? You _know_ how those two have a tendency to make a mountain out of a molehill." She twiddled her fingers nervously.

"That's true. My lips are sealed," Levy winked at Lucy. _If nothing else I have my best friend''s blessing, who is maybe a little too excited._

"Thanks." Lucy pulled her into a tight hug, and the two friends held one another for quite some time.

"Well, I should probably get going. Jet and Droy are waiting for me at the guild hall." Levy rose from the couch to leave. "I'll see ya later, Lu."

"See ya! And thanks for listening to me, I really needed to vent."

"What else are friends for?" The bluenette beamed at Lucy before making her exit.

By the time the two women had finished conversing, it was midnight, and Lucy was ready to sleep again, even though she had only been awake for three hours. _I don't think  
I've ever been so emotionally exhausted in my life._ She readied herself for bed, and by the time she laid down and her head hit the pillow, she was out.

_***The Next Day***_

After Lucy had awakened, she performed her morning routine, and found herself at the guildhall around eleven in the morning. She had several hours to kill, and she knew that sitting at home alone would do her no favors in calming her nerves. _I have a date tonight...with Laxus,_ she repeated in her mind over and over again. Although she was aware that this was true, it was still difficult for her to grasp the notion that he had wanted anything to do with her romantically. Lucy was not the sort to have issues with her self-esteem; in fact, she loved herself very much, which made her more lovable to others. However, despite this, she never once envisioned herself being part of the same league as him. A little piece of her couldn't help but believe that perhaps this was some kind of cruel joke that he was playing on her, even though she realized on a subconscious level that this kind of thinking was absurd.

"Hey, Luce!" Natsu yelled across the hall, approaching Lucy and joining her at the bar.

"Good morning," she acknowledged him amicably. "How was your trip?"

Natsu grimaced at her question. "It was okay, that is until Frosty the Snowman thought he could beat me in a one-on-one." Natsu smiled triumphantly. "He was wrong." Lucy rolled her eyes.

"So what happened then?"

Natsu rubbed the back of his neck in shame. "Well, we _kinda _destroyed about 650 square kilometers of forest, at least that's what the rangers who banned us from that part of Bosco told us." Lucy facepalmed, feeling her head start to throb. _I can't wait to deal with the paperwork detailing the damage and fees._ "What? It was an accident."

"That's a pretty expensive accident, Natsu."

"Yeah, I know."

Just as Natsu finished his sentence, Lucy felt another presence on the opposite side of her. She turned her head to see who was sitting next to her, when her heart all but stopped.

"Hey, Blondie." Laxus greeted her. "Mira, hook me up with a mug?"

"You got it!" Mira chimed, gracefully grabbing a polished mug and setting it up under the tap.

"Hey," Lucy said quietly, honestly not sure how to respond.

"I'm looking forward to later," he teased, clutching the mug and taking a swig.

"Me too." She could feel her face flushing with every word he spoke.

"I have quite the evening lined up for us."

"Oh?" Lucy's curiosity was piqued, but she didn't want to appear overly eager despite the fact that she was about to burst at the seams from excitement. "And what exactly do you have planned?" she inquired coolly.

"I guess you'll just have to find out when you get there." His outward composure was stoic, but Lucy could tell from the inflection in his voice that he was equally as excited as she was.

Natsu tugged on Lucy's arm, pulling her back to face him.

"He sounds pretty excited for this being just a meeting," Natsu observed suspiciously. Lucy heard a low rumble escape his throat. "Is there something you want to tell me, Lucy?" Lucy was genuinely stunned. _Why can't he be clueless when I need him to be?!_

Laxus chuckled. "You know I can hear you, Salamander?" Natsu met his comment with silence. "If you must know, Blondie and I have some...private arrangements for tonight." He paused for dramatic effect, raising an eyebrow as he did so, which only pissed Natsu off more.

"What kinds of _arrangements_?"

"Ones that don't concern you." Laxus sneered, taking another drink from his mug. Natsu stood from the bar and slammed his fists on the counter as he did so. A few of their fellow guildmates snapped their heads to see what the commotion was about, but many of them returned their gazes to their previous positions once they recognized that the sound came from Natsu; he was pretty prone to outbursts, so no one really gave it a second thought when he made a scene. "What's the matter, did I upset you?"

"I'll see you later, Luce." Natsu's hands were still clenched, but astoundingly, he walked away from the bar without looking back and exited the guildhall.

Lucy whipped her head back around to glare at Laxus after watching Natsu leave. "Was that really necessary, Laxus? You didn't have to be such a jerk to him," she scolded.

He finished off the last of the beer in his tankard ad exhaled. "You're right," he agreed.

"Come again?"

"That was uncalled for, and I'm sorry."

Lucy was at a loss for words. "Why then?" was the only thing she could manage.

"I'll explain everything later. That is, if you still want to come. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't for how I've been acting." _If he knows he's being an asshole, then why is he still doing it?_

"Of course I do, you can't just leave me hanging like that." A grin spread across Laxus' face at this.

He stood from his barstool, looking down at Lucy. "I'll see you later." He made his way to the stairs that lead to the second floor.

Lucy was still exhilarated about the idea of their date, but now she was also puzzled. _What did he mean by "I'll explain everything later?" _Her stomach churned as she tried to interpret his cryptic message.

**xxxxxx**

**What will happen on Laxus and Lucy's date? What does Laxus need to explain to Lucy? Why have he and Natsu been at each other's throats? Stay tuned!**

*****Hey guys! Sorry I posted this a little later than usual, but here it is! I added a bit more to it to make it longer since I did post it late. I hope you all are enjoying! And don't worry: there will be a lot more Laxus-Lucy interaction soon! Thank you all for being patient and for your feedback!**


	16. Chapter 16

A few hours passed at the guild hall before Lucy took her leave. She had spent much of that time chatting with Mira about the happenings around the guild, trying to take her mind off of how overwhelmingly anxious she had become. She came in the hope of getting her mind off Laxus for a while, but that plan had quickly crumbled when he began talking to her and reminding her about the evening that would befall them.

She left the hall around four; she wanted to be sure that she gave herself plenty of time to prepare. She had never been to Laxus' place before, but she knew that it was only about a ten-minute walk from her own, and had a general idea of what it looked like. She unlocked her door, entered her apartment, and began stripping before she even reached the stairs, leaving a trail of clothing on the floor behind her. When she stepped inside her bedroom, she ran to the closet and flung the door open, knowing full well that she had work to do, and that she intended to do it correctly. She shivered as she bared in mind what he had said to her the day before: "_Wear something pretty_." But what did _he_ consider pretty? She knew that she was panicking a lot more than she should have been, but she had imagined something like this happening only in her wildest fantasies, so she unquestionably needed it to be perfect.

She snapped her fingers, having somewhat of a 'eureka!' moment. She rushed to the dresser where her she stored her delicates, and pulled the top drawer open to expose a wide array of top-notch lacy undergarments. She decided, however, that she would wear the black and purple bra with matching thong. _I don't know if purple is his favorite color, but I know he wears a lot of purple, so it's worth a shot_. She slipped them on, and returned to stand before her closet. After browsing for what seemed like forever, she settled on a stunning, royal blue lace overlay bodycon dress that still had the tags on it, feeling ultra sexy in the getup. She posed in front of the mirror, ensuring that this was what she wanted to wear. _'Oh yeah, you look smokin' hot, girl!' _Lucy imitated Cana in her mind. Cana was one of Lucy's crasser and more bold friends, but she had a way of making Lucy feel more confident when she spoke in the way that she did. In a sense, Cana was the 'bad girl' that Lucy always kind of envied, and sometimes wished she could be, but she was more than content with having her as a companion.

"I know I do," Lucy acknowledged her own imaginary comment, smiling satisfactorily. Being around Laxus brought out her shy side, but looking like she did now, she was sure that not even he could throw her off of the current horse of tenacity that she was riding. She decided on her normal hairdo, but switched her bow from red to a ribbon that was a similar shade of blue as her dress. She was never one to adorn her naturally-gifted features with too much makeup, so she settled on a clear lip gloss and the new tube of long-lasting mascara that she had picked up from the market several days ago. When her look was complete, she spent a few more minutes admiring what she saw. She was ready to dominate tonight, perhaps in more ways than one.

After Lucy decided that she was mentally ready, she slid into a pair of solid black pumps (which she admitted to herself were a bit too high for her tastes, but continued to wear them in hopes of making a statement), grabbed her keys and put them in the small blue clutch that she was carrying, made sure that the rest of her necessary belongings were there as well, and shut her locked apartment door behind her. She felt her heart racing, the sound of blood throbbing in both of her ears, so much so that the sensation was able to drown out most other sounds that could normally be heard. She was high on a combination of pure adrenaline and emotion, and she felt positively unstoppable. She began her short trek to Laxus' front door, and when she arrived, she ascended the porch stairs that lead to it. She observed that the house was bigger than she had expected that it would be, and of course the entrance was purple. She smirked to herself. _Glad I decided to go with this ensemble after all_. She took a step back, marveling at the abode's facade. She was surprised to notice that the outside of the dark grey house seemed polished, almost as if a new coat of paint had been applied recently. The black shutters on the windows that overlooked the porch were equally as elegant. _Wow, he keeps this place well maintained, that's for sure._

The front door opened, and Lucy's stomach was falling out of her ass once more. Laxus was dressed in a sky-blue button-down shirt with a navy blue tie and a black pair of jeans that hugged his male figure in all the right places. He looked Lucy up and down, dumbfounded by her gorgeousness. Lucy wasn't completely sure, but she was almost certain she had seen a vague glimpse of a blush creep up over his cheeks.

"You look beautiful," he said simply with an innocent smile.

"So do you," she word-vomited. Her eyes widened as she immediately realized what had come out of her mouth. "I—I mean you look nice too." He chuckled.

"Why don't you come in?" He motioned with his hand as he held the door open for her, and she swiftly entered, removing her shoes and setting her clutch on a nearby table once inside. He shut the door gently behind them. Lucy spent a moment drinking in her surroundings. As she had suspected, everything was as clean it had been on the outside, and it seemed that there wasn't so much as a hair out of place. The inside looked much bigger than she had anticipated, and was also more grandiose; she'd never pegged Laxus as one to indulge himself, but she reminded herself that she also didn't know him that well.

From the seamless wood floors that used a minimum of three different types of wood, to the elegant, off-white cathedral ceiling that complimented the pale daffodil walls quite nicely, to the white-oak modern spiral staircase with a black rail that resembled wrought-iron, the dwelling was absolutely breathtaking. As far as the furniture was concerned, the living room was somewhat sparse, containing only an off-white couch-and-loveseat combo, a sand-colored Persian rug with a dark-brown abstract pattern, a walnut coffee table atop it, and a lamp with a crystal stem and a white-tassel shade. The couch was near the back wall of the house, which had 3 diamond-bulleted French windows, as well as a circular stained-glass window with deep shades of yellow and brown on the upper triangular half. Thin yet elegant black curtains draped over the french windows, letting in the perfect amount of light. In the kitchen, which was directly adjoined to the living room, there was a wooden floor with a tile inlay in a basket weave pattern. There were also french windows with identical black curtains adjacent to those in the living room. Mahogany cabinets lined the walls both above and below the remarkable granite countertops, and all of the appliances were stainless steel and in perfect condition. Lucy was thoroughly impressed with the level of coordination that everything in the house possessed; nothing seemed improper, and it was almost like she had walked into a model house considering that everything was so spotless.

"Welcome to my humble abode," said Laxus, spreading his arms like a showman. "What do you think?"

"It's incredible," Lucy replied, almost as though the wind had been knocked out of her.

"I'm glad you like it. Follow me." She did as she was told, and through the kitchen, he led her to a large dining room with a square mahogany dining table. An eggshell tablecloth rested atop its surface, adorned with many lavish decorations; a golden, nine-armed candelabra with lit red candles, a fresh assortment of pink, white, and red roses in a lovely glass vase, proper silverware arrangements wrapped in restaurant-style black napkins, ceramic dinner plates with gold trim, wine glasses for each of them, and a bottle of cabernet sauvignon in a golden wine chiller. Laxus picked the vase from off the table and presented it to Lucy with a suaveness that she was unaware he was capable of. "These are for you."

She accepted the vase, her face turning the same shade of pink as the roses. "Thank you, they're beautiful." She gave them a sniff for good measure. "Mmmmm, I love roses." Laxus walked to one side of the table and pulled out a chair.

"Why don't you have a seat?" he gestured to the chair. Lucy sat herself down and was a bit shocked when he lifted the chair slightly off the ground as if she weighed nothing and pushed it into the table for her.

"Thank you." She smiled at him.

"I'll be right back with the food," he smiled back. Lucy was captivated by the setup to say the least. Sure, she was used to extravagant dinners as a by product of her upbringing, but more than anything, she was surprised to discover this side of Laxus, the tender and more passionate side. _I didn't know that he had a romantic bone in his body._

A few moments later, Laxus returned, holding a white ceramic pan in his oven mitts. _Now, __**there's**__ something I never thought I'd see. _He set the dish down, allowing Lucy to perceive what was inside.

_How did he… _Lucy bit her bottom lip, fighting back tears as memories surged to the surface.

"_Lucy, it's time for dinner, sweetheart!" Layla called into her daughter's room, smiling at her with the utmost of love in her soft eyes._

"_Coming, mama!" Little Lucy exclaimed, setting her doll down on the bed. She paused for but a moment, deep in thought. "Mama, can I bring my little sister with me?"_

"_Of course, dear," Layla smiled, thrilled that Lucy was enjoying the doll that she had given her. Lucy picked the doll back up from the bed and ran to her mother's side, taking ahold of her hand with her free hand. The two walked down the hall and descended the staircase that lead to the dining room. Lucy climbed up onto a chair and situated her little sister in the seat next to her._

"_I'll be right back," Layla said, disappearing into the kitchen. Lucy looked at her doll, saying "I hope you're hungry, little sis!" Within minutes, Layla returned to the dining room, holding in her hands a white ceramic dish._

"_Happy birthday, my darling Lucy," she said, laying the dish on the table before her daughter. Layla was always kind enough to give the servants the day off on Lucy's birthday, for it was one of the few days of the year where she liked to cook a meal for her family with her own two hands. Every year, she would prepare her famous cranberry-orange roast duck recipe for Lucy._

"_Oh boy, duck!" Lucy squealed happily, standing on her chair, elated._

"_I made it just for you." Layla ran her fingers through Lucy's hair._

"_Thank you, mama!" Lucy plopped back down in her chair, watching as her mother cut into the bird. She served Lucy a decent-sized chunk, and even put a small helping on the plate before the doll. Lucy picked up her fork, and dove in, just as any small child would do to his or her favorite dish. She chewed thoughtfully and exclaimed "This is yummy!" once she emptied her mouth. She turned her head to look at her dinner guest. "What do you think, little sister?" As one would expect, the doll remained silent, but that didn't stop Lucy from uttering a reply: "I know! She makes the best duck ever!" Layla watched the interaction, adoring her beautiful little girl with the wild imagination. She grabbed a portion for herself, taking the other seat next to Lucy._

"_Mama?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Is daddy going to eat with us?"_

_Layla sighed, but tried to keep her face happy for her daughter's sake. "I think daddy is working right now, so he doesn't have time to eat until later," she explained as kindly as possible. Even still, Lucy's face fell._

"_How come he never eats with us?" The sad tone of her voice made Layla's throat tighten as she choked back her emotions._

"_Well sweetheart, daddy's a very busy man."_

"_Too busy to eat with me even on my birthday?" Lucy's eyes started to well up with tears, and the cracking sound made by Layla's heart was almost audible._

"_How would you and your little sister like to help me cut your birthday cake in the kitchen?" smiled Layla. She knew that the best way to avoid upsetting Lucy would be to ignore her inquiry altogether and thought that maybe she could distract her with something joyful._

"_Oh boy, cake!" Lucy shouted, completely abandoning the sadness concerning her father. _

"_Come on, Gonzales! Let's go!" She grabbed the doll by the arm and sprinted into the kitchen._

"Cranberry-orange roast duck…" Lucy said distantly, returning to reality.

"Your mother used to make it for your birthday every year." Laxus said thoughtfully. Lucy's gaze shot up to him, flabbergasted.

"How could you possibly have known that?" she inquired, still suppressing the overwhelming urge to mourn her mother.

"Let's call it 'intuition'," he said with a soft grin. _Intuition? What's that supposed to mean? _

Lucy was not in the mood to play sleuth, so she gave up on the notion, hoping that Laxus would explain what he meant by "intuition" later in the evening. _He did say that he would explain everything tonight, whatever that means. _ She was also a bit disappointed that this sudden shift in emotions had caused her to lose some of her aforementioned confidence, even though she had previously felt invincible.

"I haven't had this since my mother died."

"That's why I made it. I wanted it to be special for you."

Lucy was feeling an amalgam of things in that moment; grief, nostalgia, love, joy, and gratitude, among other things. Laxus could almost see everything she was thinking, watching as the different feelings swirled around in her eyes and across her face.

"Thank you, Laxus. You have no idea how much this means to me." He smiled at her in response.

He began cutting into the bird, just as Lucy's mother had during that one special time every year. He reached for her plate, plopping a decent-sized helping of duck onto it, and setting it in front of her.

"Enjoy," he said playfully. Lucy waited for him to serve himself and take a seat before she began eating. She lifted her fork to her mouth, and when she bit into the duck, the blend of sweet and savory flavors danced on her tongue. It was an amazing sensation, and yet again, Laxus had managed to surprise her with his finesse. "So?" he urged.

"It's delicious," she replied. "Hey, I thought you weren't good at this kind of stuff?"

"I'm not usually," he stated. "But with you, it just kind of comes to me naturally." Lucy's heart began to flutter in her chest with his words. "Oh, I almost forgot." He stood from his chair, grabbing the bottle of wine from the chiller and removing the cork with a corkscrew that Lucy had not noticed was there before. The slight _pop_ that resulted echoed throughout the room, and for some reason sent chills up her spine. Laxus took the two glasses, and Lucy watched as he filled them halfway with the full-bodied crimson liquid, yearning to sip on it. He replaced the glasses in their original positions and re-corked the bottle, setting it back in the chiller. He stood before Lucy, and for the first time tonight, she had the chance to truly appreciate him in all his radiance. He had a certain glow to him that was astonishingly brilliant, but Lucy presumed that could be attributed to inadvertent arcs of lightning that sparked across his skin as a result of the lacrima that was implanted in his body. His face was chiseled and seemed almost inhumanly perfect, and even through his clothes, which were not particularly tight, his beautifully toned muscles peeked through and teased Lucy. She felt as though she were standing in the presence of an angel.

Laxus raised his glass. "A toast," he proposed.

"To?"

"To our first date, and how positively ravishing you look tonight." The light level was somewhat low, but even still, Laxus chuckled as their glasses clinked and Lucy's face became a canvas of red.

**xxxxxx**

**How will the date proceed? What more will we learn about Laxus?**

****Whew! Hey, everyone! I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to post a new chapter, but life really hit hard last week, and my writing time was limited. However, I will try to get back on a regular posting schedule this week. Also, I did a lot of research on clothing and interior design in the hope of making this scene really come to life for you all! I tried to make this chapter a little longer since I made you wait so long, and I hope you all enjoyed this newest installment of the story, and it fulfilled some of the hunger you've had to see some LaLu romantic interaction! I promise you, this is only the beginning. There is much more to come, so stay tuned!**


	17. Chapter 17

After Laxus and Lucy finished their dinner, Laxus removed the dishes from the table and laid them in the sink to do later. Lucy remained seated, and several moments later he returned carrying a golden baroque dessert stand with a mixed berry pavlova on it. Once again, he served Lucy and then himself before taking a seat. The two sat in silence for a bit, fully appreciating the array of flavors that the meringue cake had to offer.

"This is amazing. Where did you learn to cook like this?" Lucy asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Believe it or not, Gramps was the one who taught me how. He pretty much raised me since I was a boy." Lucy noticed that he didn't even so much as suggest his father, and she definitely wasn't going to press the issue, even though she wanted more than anything to study and get to know him.

"I didn't know Gramps could cook."

"Yeah, it's not really something he openly shares, but put that man in the kitchen and he'll whip up something that would put the professionals to shame," Laxus smiled absentmindedly, reminiscing about when he and his grandfather used to spend almost every day in the kitchen together. Those times had unfortunately passed, but he still thought fondly of them.

Although both of them were harboring the thoughts of matters they wanted to discuss, they were also both hesitant to talk. This was strange for Laxus, for generally, speaking his mind was like second nature to him, but something about being alone with Lucy now made him shy, despite his behavior the first time when they were alone in the office, as she had noticed. Perhaps he was being so modest because he was afraid that he had done something wrong during that encounter; mostly, he was afraid that he had hurt her, either physically, mentally, or both, but what he didn't realize was that Lucy was neither offended nor resentful, and, in fact, that it was the most mind-boggling sexual experience that she ever had, regardless of how abrupt it was. Sure, she was a bit shaken in the moments that followed, but who wouldn't be after having their bones jumped by someone they believed had no interest in them, especially someone that was considered to be of higher authority? The issue was one of miscommunication.

Finally, after both of them had almost finished their desserts, Lucy swallowed the anxiety that had been building in her throat (along with a mixture of whipped cream and berries) and said: "So," but that was as far as she was able to get. She had been contemplating for several minutes on what to say next, but once that one introductory word escaped her lips, nothing else that she could think of seemed to be right.

"So," Laxus repeated jokingly.

"Look, I don't really know how to say this, so I'm just going to say it, but please don't take it the wrong way: what did you mean by you would explain everything? What's going on with you?" She was blunt with him, for she wanted answers and he had yet to endow her with any.

Laxus let out a deep and pensive sigh. He had known that they would have to have this conversation at some point, and by making small talk (as much as he enjoyed it) that he was only prolonging the inevitable.

"Okay, I'm just going to put it all out on the table, Blondie. But I don't know that you'll want to hear what I have to say." _Is that...is that __**fear**_ _I see in his eyes? In Laxus' eyes? __**The **__Laxus, the man who single-handedly defeated an entire guild by himself at the Grand Magic Games? _

Lucy's heart began to race again; she was a little apprehensive, but she wasn't going to run away from this. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."

"Okay, but just remember you asked for it," he warned. "Honestly, I don't even know where to start."

"Well, the beginning would probably work," Lucy teased in an attempt to lighten the mood, but Laxus' expression remained unchanged.

"This is going to sound crazy."

"Crazy is my specialty." And with that, Laxus began his explanation, just as he had promised:

"Really it started when you first joined the guild. I mean, from the first time I saw you I thought you were pretty hot." Lucy was unsure of whether to feel flattered or disgusted. "I didn't try to keep my physical attraction to you a secret; everyone in the Thunder Legion knew, as well as a few others who caught on in time and confronted me about it. Anyway, I thought that you were just another girl I would bang, another insignificant booty call, another piece of ass I could get my rocks off to." Laxus saw Lucy wince as if she were experiencing physical pain. He tried to console her by reiterating. "And notice how I said _thought _and not _think_." Her face loosened a bit, but she was still ill at ease. "Over time, I started to catch myself doing things that I never did before; I would glance at you every so often just to see you smile; I would walk past you so that I could drink in your delicious aroma; I would subtly try to ask others about you without even thinking, and people would look at me strangely. I was horrified because I knew that subconsciously I was developing feelings for you, feelings that I had never felt, feelings that I didn't want to feel. But then, it started escalating. I stopped deriving sexual pleasure from one-night stands with random women. I started smelling you everywhere I went, no matter how far away I was; I went as far as Bellum, and even though I was surrounded by scents of all sorts, yours lingered a tiny bit with every breath I took. Every time I closed my eyes to sleep, I saw your face, and it felt like I was dreaming _with _you; when you had a dream about your mom or your dad, or anything, actually, I would see the same thing. I don't know if some of the things were memories or not, but I was there with you through it all. And sometimes, I would even see myself there," he smiled, exalted, although still moderately timid. Lucy was diffident, but she nodded in confirmation; there was no hiding that she had dreamt about him when he had _literally _been inside of her head. "That's how I knew about the duck. Maybe you don't remember it, but you had a dream once that it was your birthday and your mom made it for you and your little doll. I figured that if it meant something to you tonight then it was a memory, and if it didn't then it would still make a great dinner. When I figured out that all of this was happening and what it was implying, I was going crazy, or at least that's what I believed. That day in the office when I—did what I did—I thought that was my way out; I thought that we would fuck and that would be it, just another meaningless fling, that once I got it all out of my system (both literally and figuratively) the madness would stop. But it didn't go away." He took a moment to collect himself, being sure to keep his emotions in check. "Probably the worst of all of that shit, however, was the fact that every single time I would see you around Natsu," he growled his name, "it would _infuriate_ me. It was like I could feel my blood boiling in my veins and I wanted to go berserk on his ass. Every time he talked to you I wanted to sock him in the face, and every time he touched you," he took a second to breathe, "I wanted to _murder_ him. And when I say 'murder', I mean I wanted to rip him limb from limb and throw his severed body parts to the sharks so that nothing would ever be left of him." Lucy felt all the muscles in her body tighten at his very descriptive depiction of him butchering her best friend, as would any normal human being. "When I smelled him in your apartment, I wanted to scream and hunt him down like an animal, and then he showed up at your front door and I…"

"I think I get it," said Lucy, understandably frightened, but not any less intrigued.

"Right, sorry," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "But anyway, that's _really _when I started to have the suspicion. I went home that night, and I did a lot of thinking. _A lot_ of thinking, and even then, I still didn't want to accept it."

"Accept what?"

"I don't even know if I can say it aloud." Lucy frowned at him. "Hey, I warned you that you might not like what you hear."

"The only thing I've _heard_ is that I've been a huge mental burden on you." Lucy hung her head and suppressed the urge to rise from her seat and leave. _He wanted me to come here so he could tell me that I've been an emotional handicap and a cock-block? How fantastic._

"I won't lie to you and say that isn't entirely true—"

"I think I need to go," Lucy shot up from her chair as the flood gates she had tried so hard to keep erect all night had burst wide open, and now there was no masking how she felt, the stinging droplets (intertwined with her mascara) streaking her face.

In no time, Laxus appeared beside her, grabbing her hands and turning her to face him. He all but yanked her into a passionate embrace, smashing his lips against hers. Lucy was reluctant at first, but she soon relented to him, kissing him back with everything that she had. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her waist, pushing her body in as close to his as it would go. The shapes of their frames fit together like two compatible pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, almost as though they were made specifically for one another. After a moment (although he wanted more than anything to keep kissing her), Laxus pulled away and looked deep into her eyes.

"Please, let me finish this time," he pleaded. Lucy gave him a disoriented nod. "I won't lie to you and say that isn't entirely true," he repeated, "but seeing you here tonight, like this," he took a moment to look her up and down as he had when she'd arrived, "while I'm feeling the way that I am right now confirms every suspicion I've had since I've met you, even if I was in denial for a long time."

"Every suspicion of what?"

"You're my mate, Lucy."


	18. Chapter 18

Lucy's head was spinning wildly. Laxus could sense that she was dizzy, and held her while he pulled the chair she had been sitting in under her, letting her gently fall onto the padded seat. _I'm his...what? _He pulled another chair up next to her, on which he seated himself.

"I'm your...mate?" she mirrored her thoughts.

"Yes, you are. I know it's you." Lucy had never seen Laxus be this serious about anything, even since he'd assumed the role of guild master. She stood in silence, looking at him with a curious expression. When she had nothing to say for what several minutes, his face morphed from a hopeful grin into a puzzled grimace. "I thought you would be happy." She could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"I would probably be happy," she remarked, "but...I don't know what that means." She felt awful for causing him dismay, but she was unsure of what exactly he was indicating with this obviously important statement. Lucy was a writer, so she was not ignorant in terms of vocabulary, and she was aware of what the word "mate" suggested in a traditional lexical sense, but it was clear to her that in this context, it meant something different, something that was so significant that Laxus was betwixt and between about wanting to vocalize it.

His smile returned slightly with her honesty. _Okay_, _okay, she's not rejecting me._ he thought, relieved. "Allow me to elaborate. You know that I'm a dragon slayer, yeah?" Lucy nodded in acknowledgment.

"But you also know that I'm not a 'natural'," he put air quotes around the word," dragon slayer; I'm second-gen, as in I possess lightning dragon slayer magic, but it isn't because I was raised by a dragon."

"It's a lacrima, right?" Lucy inquired, trying her best to keep up.

"You got it," Laxus affirmed. "The thing of it is, even though I wasn't technically trained by a dragon, one of the—let's call them 'side effects'—of the lacrima is that I still have dragon instincts, which I kind of hinted at earlier."

"Like how Natsu and Gajeel can hear almost nonexistent sounds and have a super heightened sense of smell?" Laxus found that upon hearing the names of the other male dragon slayers, he let out an unintentional and quiet snarl. He took a few deep breaths before deciding to answer Lucy's question.

"Sorry." he half-apologized. "And yes, like that. Believe it or not, my senses are equally as elevated, especially when _you're _in my presence."

"What do you mean by that?"

He grinned his normal cocky grin. "It means that every time you take a breath, I can hear your lungs expanding and compressing, that every time you blush, I can smell the blood rushing to the surface of your skin." His chair was almost touching hers, so he didn't have to lean very far to whisper into her ear: "And every time you get all hot and bothered, I can smell _that _too," he teased, placing a hand on her leg. Lucy gulped and tried to conceal how turned on she was from his hot breath hitting her face and his soft touch. "Like right now, for instance." She squirmed. She could feel a contented smile creeping up on his lips, which had found their way to her earlobe. "And the best part about you being my mate?" he breathed. "It means you're _mine._" A chill ran down and then back up Lucy's spine as he emphasized the word possessively. She was an independent woman, sure, but the idea of herself 'belonging' to one of the most powerful men she had ever met was something that she would not only choose to accept but would welcome fully.

Once he was satisfied with Lucy's reaction, he withdrew from her ear and sat upright once more, his face grave. "On a serious note, you should know that dragon slayers mate _for life_."

"You mean, you only have one? Ever?" Lucy repeated. Laxus nodded. "So what happens if—"

"If your mate rejects you?" he finished for her.

"Yes, what then?"

"Well it's pretty rare, but on the off chance that _does_ happen, then that's it."

"What do you mean '_that's it'_?"

"I mean that if a dragon slayer is rejected by his or her mate, then he or she cannot imprint on anyone else. From what I've heard, most of the time, the dragon slayer plunges deep into some kind of permanent depressive episode, hoping that their mate will come around eventually. If they don't, then their bloodline is discontinued."

"Wow, no pressure there," she partially kidded.

"It's a finicky situation, but that's just how it is," he shrugged. "So?"

"So?" Lucy echoed.

"You're not going to...reject me, are you?" His voice wavered a bit in the second half of the sentence. His heart was beating hard in his chest. _This is it, _he thought, _the moment of truth._

"Why would I do that?" Lucy smirked. In truth, she was positively thrilled that she had been destined to be with Laxus; she never imagined that their relationship would go in a direction such as this, especially so quickly, but here they were, their fates intertwined, written in the stars, likely since the beginning of time. "But I need you to understand a couple of things if we're going to do this, okay?" Laxus didn't necessarily like where this was going, but he agreed regardless, not wanting to appear unreasonable.

"First, if I'm going to be your mate, then I need you to comprehend that this is a really weird situation for me to be in. We still don't know each other that well, or at least I don't know you as well as you seem to know me. I need you to be patient with me while I sort everything out in my head because honestly, this is _a lot_ to process."

"Noted," he acquiesced.

Also, I'm going to need you to accept my friendship with Natsu."

"I don't know that I can do that."

"And why not?" she sassed.

"You don't understand, it's kind of outside of my realm of control." Lucy raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to clarify. He let out an exasperated exhale. "Look, Blondie, I don't make the rules. Salamander hasn't found his mate yet, and that makes him competition, and you a target."

"A...target?"

"It's also very uncommon, and I mean _very _uncommon, as in I've only known of six occasions in history when it has happened over a span of thousands of years on account of Gramps telling me when I was younger, but every once in a great while," he delayed briefly, "Like some sick joke, the universe decides to assign two dragon slayers the same mate." Lucy gasped.

"Are you...are you serious? How does that happen?"

Laxus shrugged. "No one has any clue. But, I _do _know that there are only two ways that such circumstances can be resolved."

"How?"

"Way number 1: One of the dragon slayers establishes him or herself as the alpha, the one designated the beta backs down and, in the course of time, renounces their mate and accepts their fate and the fact that they are the end of their lineage." Laxus saw Lucy cringe. "Yeah I know, it's horrible."

"And the alternative?"

"The dragon slayers are each so protective and territorial of their mate that neither one of them is willing to comply, and so they fight to the death." _Yikes._

"And which method is more common, dare I ask?"

"I think you already know."

"How many times?"

"Only one of these confrontations has ended peacefully, for lack of a better word." Lucy shivered. "I don't know that this is our situation, but I can't take any chances with it, not until we find out if you're his mate or not. I'll talk to Gajeel, Ice Boy, Titania, and the little blue-haired girl—"

"Wendy," Lucy interrupted him.

"Right, Wendy" he mimicked her tone, "and see if they know anything."

"Laxus?"

"Yeah?"

"What makes you think that I could potentially be _Natsu's_ mate?" It was undeniable that Natsu was attractive both in physical attributes and personality, but Lucy had never considered him in any romantic regard, and in fact sort of dreaded the idea.

As much as he hated to think about it, Laxus decided that Lucy deserved to know. "I've been skeptical about it for a while now, pretty much as long as I've deliberated on whether or not you were my mate. I know he was the first person you ever met in Fairy Tail, so in the beginning, I thought maybe he was being friendly. But the closer the two of you got, the more he started to be protective of you, but not in a 'normal' way; in a possessive kind of way. He always seems to know when you're in danger, and his scent is all over the inside of your living space, which means he's there frequently, which is abnormal for a dragon slayer unless the living space belongs to their mate."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Lucy rolled her eyes, thinking of how annoying it could get at times when Natsu would casually invite himself over. "My favorite part is when I come home and he's asleep in my bed," she joked, not thinking about the impact of such a small quip; she was so accustomed to both his behavior and making jokes about it that for a moment she forgot entirely who she was talking to.

Laxus' eyes turned fierce. "You let him..._**sleep**_ _in your bed?_" he all but snarled, his inner dragon surfacing for a moment. Lucy went pale as she realized what she'd done. "And did he ever sleep in the bed _with you_?" Lucy was silent, but it was all the response he needed, and all the vein in his forehead needed to pop out and throb.

"Hey, you can't be mad at me for that. He's my best friend and I didn't even know you had feelings for me until, like, _today_," she pouted. Although even the suggestion that Natsu had the audacity to so much as _touch_ the place where Lucy slept, let alone sleep there _with her_ was driving Laxus to the brink of insanity, he decided that her statement was candid, and took a few deep breaths to calm himself.

"Fair enough. But please, I need you to promise me something," he pleaded pressingly.

"Yeah?"

"I need you to stay away from him. I don't know what I might do, and I can't be held responsible for my actions right now."

"That's absurd! He's my teammate and my closest friend! What am I supposed to do, ignore him?"

"Yes." Lucy scowled at him. He lowered his voice, his face contorting into a disapproving and sinister glare: "I don't want to have to kill him, Lucy, but I will if I must." Lucy shivered, not liking this side of Laxus; she knew it wasn't his fault that he was acting this way, but quite bluntly, it scared the fucking shit out of her.

"And how do you pr-propose I do that?" she stuttered, still trying to stand her ground, but quaking in her (metaphorical) boots.

"When I talk to everyone, I'll let them know what's going on and make sure that they understand the severity of the situation," he assured. Lucy was very unhappy at this development, her head falling in chagrin. Laxus could smell that her cortisol levels were rising and her serotonin levels dropping. He felt guilty for the way this was playing out, but he also knew that he could afford to take no unnecessary risks. He placed his finger under her chin and lifted her head until her eyes met his. "Listen, it's only temporary. Could you please do this for me? It may hurt him at first, but he'll understand once he realizes what's happening, I promise." His face softened and he gave her a tired smile.

"Fine, as long as it's only temporary." Laxus pulled her into a tight hug and stroked her hair. She wrapped her arms around his thick torso and squeezed. This night had been an emotional roller coaster, and she was exhausted. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to be held by her mate, the one person she realized that she would be spending her life with. _Who would've thought I would end up here, in a position like this? I certainly didn't. _She marveled at the turn of events that had occurred and considered herself to be very lucky. The cost, however, would be steep, at least for now, but as long as the damage wasn't permanent, she could muddle through.

"So, what are you thinking?" Laxus asked.

"I'm thinking…that this is all really fucking weird." Laxus guffawed with Lucy still in his arms, and she thought it was comical to hear the laughter reverberating in his monstrous chest cavity. He was probably laughing harder than he should have, but at least this was helping to alleviate the nervous tension that had plagued their presence for entirely too long this evening.

"It is pretty weird, huh?" he asked rhetorically. Both of them sat, holding one another and letting the absence of sound fill their eardrums and the room for what seemed like an eternity. Laxus was the first to make a move, lowering his head until his breath ghosted Lucy's face. "You know, technically you aren't my mate yet." He took her earlobe between his teeth and nibbled, causing her to gasp.

"W-what do you m-mean?" she stuttered, trying to focus on her speech but failing miserably as the feeling from his teasing overwhelmed all her other senses.

"I mean that it isn't official until we—" his voice faded out as he cut himself off, moving his lips down so that he could trail them along Lucy's neck and jawline seductively. She let out a slight moan, feeling admittedly a bit self-conscious now that she knew he could smell her womanhood when she craved him. When he reached her collarbone, he began dotting her with light kisses until he was back to her ear. His voice was low and primal, uttering the words that would complete the sentence he began: "_consummate _it." She could feel the flush creeping up over most of her skin. He laughed, inhaling deeply as the blood raced through Lucy's veins. As odd as it may have been, it was the most glorious aroma that had ever graced his nostrils. _This is her in all her purity. As long as I can smell that sweet sanguine essence, I know that she's alive and that she belongs to me. _He pulled her back to face him, and he planted a kiss on her clammy forehead. "But only when you're ready."

**xxxxxx**

**Holy wow! This story is taking a much different direction than I had originally anticipated, but I hope you all are enjoying nonetheless! I have some ideas about where I'd like to go, so I'm really going to need everyone's feedback as I proceed! Thank you all so much for the favorites, follows, and positive reviews; it means the world to me! And don't worry, more smut is one the way! Stay tuned!**

****8/5 Edit: I changed a minor detail so that it makes sense later in the story.**


	19. Chapter 19

**WARNING: This chapter contains crass language and some smut. I hope you like it!**

After their discussion, Lucy grew tired and her eyelids heavy; it was only around 9:30, but this day had been a little more than stressful, and her energy was depleted.

"You look tired," Laxus acknowledged.

"Maybe a little," confirmed Lucy, stifling a yawn.

"Want me to walk you home?"

"I would like that," she approved with a sleepy smile.

"Okay, just let me change into something a little more comfortable first. I'll be right back." And with that, he disappeared up the dining room staircase that was the identical twin to the one in the living room. Lucy waited patiently, allowing her eyes to rest until he returned. When she heard his heavy footsteps trodding down the stairs, she perked up and tried to appear as awake as possible. She was internally conflicted; part of her wanted to hit the hay so that she could forget this day for a few hours, yet another part of her didn't want this night to end.

"Are you ready to go?" Laxus asked. He had donned a plain white t-shirt that hugged his hulking frame, and a pair of black sweats. Even though his garb was about as casual as it could get, Lucy was still awestruck by his Adonis-like resemblance.

"Yeah, I think so," she replied, floored that anyone could look this hot in what were more or less gym clothes. Lucy stood from her seat, stretching her arms as far as they would go. _It feels so nice to stand up and get the blood flowing, _she grinned to herself. Laxus lead her back through the kitchen and into the living room where she had entered. She stepped into her heels and grabbed her clutch, and Laxus slid into a pair of sandals he had lying around. He opened the door for her, and she walked through it with him close behind her, jiggling the door handle to double-check that it was locked. The two exited the porch area, beginning the short walk to Lucy's apartment.

About three minutes into the ten-or-so-minute journey, which had been quiet sans the usual sounds of the night (the babbling of the water in the canal, the croaking of tiny frogs, and the calls of birds that had not yet drifted off to sleep despite it being nighttime), without saying a word, Laxus removed his hand from his sweats pocket and grabbed Lucy's free hand interlacing his fingers in hers. Butterflies fluttered in Lucy's stomach and she was on cloud nine.

"I hope this is okay," he asked without asking.

"It's more than okay." She gazed up at him with her deep chocolate-brown eyes, which was a little easier than usual because of the height of her heels. Laxus always believed that Lucy was beautiful, but until tonight, he hadn't realized just how true that was. The way the flecks of moonlight shone upon her baby-soft alabaster skin, the way her hair glowed with a brilliance that was akin to that of pure gold, her lush full-bodied lips, her shapely figure and how perfectly-proportioned she seemed to be, and her eyes...he could go swimming in the twinkling pools of heavenly mocha and lose himself forever. Everything from the top of her head to the tips of her toes was perfect in his eyes, and for a minute, he stared at her as though she were a divine being. Lucy pretended not to notice, but she was flattered nevertheless.

Suddenly, she felt her body being dragged down by gravity as she succumbed to the inevitable. A cry of pain escaped her lips as she hit the ground, dropping her purse and dirtying the seat of her dress. She grasped her ankle with her now free hand, rubbing it like it would dull the throbbing.

"Walk much?" Laxus sniggered, still holding on to her other hand.

"Ugh, I knew these heels were too damn high," she cursed herself. "Of course I would twist my ankle just _walking_."

"Can you get up?"

"I think so." Lucy began to stand, but yelped and immediately collapsed again. _Boy, I'm sure going to have some nice bruises on my ass after this fuckery._

Laxus squatted to the ground, scooped Lucy into his arms, and lifted her with ease, being sure to recover her clutch as well. "Don't worry, I've got you." She took the opportunity to nuzzle her face into his chest. He was so strong, so warm, and he smelled like...pine and citrus? It was an unexpected combination, but to her, it was intoxicating. "Let's get you home."

He carried her to her front door and unlocked it with her still in his arms. Once through the door, he set her down on the couch with care. She leaned up against its arm, and Laxus placed a pillow under her aching foot. "I'll be right back," he announced, disappearing into the kitchen. She groaned, scolding herself for disobeying her common sense as her ankle pulsated intensely. _Of course, I would make a fool out of myself in front of him over a pair of shoes. What an idiot._ By the time she had finished her intrapersonal monologue, Laxus had returned with a baggie of ice wrapped in a towel. "Here, hold this on your foot," he instructed, handing her the makeshift cold pack. "It should help the swelling go down." He sat beside her on the floor. It was almost comical; because of the difference in height between the two, Laxus was as tall sitting on the floor as Lucy was sitting on the couch.

Lucy was captivated by the man before her, for not only was he physically flawless, but even in the span of a couple of hours, he had shown her that he was more than capable of looking after her; he had cooked dinner and dessert for her, taking into account her personal tastes, been honest with her about the whole dragon slayer mate subject although it was difficult, and he even escorted her home, transporting her when she was no longer able to walk. Lucy was overcome with emotion; she had never had a man, including her own father, want to take care of her as well as Laxus already had (which was sad, but true, she confessed to herself). "I'll take you to the guildhall infirmary to see Wendy in the morning so that she can fix you up."

"Thank you," she squeaked, her voice saturated with gratitude.

"I would do anything for you," he stated.

Her heart filled with warmth. "Anything?"

"Anything," he reiterated.

"Then can I ask you for a favor?"

"Of course."

"Would you...would you stay with me tonight?" She was uncertain of why, but her inquiry was hesitant, afraid that he would say 'no', even though she had no reason to feel this way.

"I was planning on it, just waiting for an invitation," he smirked. She chuckled at his presumptuousness.

"Aww, you don't trust me to be here alone?" Lucy jabbed.

"Well, look at what happened even when you weren't; you _still _managed to hurt yourself." The two shared a laugh at Lucy's expense, but she didn't mind.

"Yeah, I guess that was pretty clumsy of me," she agreed. "I knew that wearing those would be a bad idea."

"Then why did you wear them?" Laxus gave her a perplexed look.

"I thought that you would like them," she admitted.

"I won't say that they didn't make you look incredibly sexy," he pestered her, raising an eyebrow, "but I think you're sexy anyway, so next time, wear shoes that aren't going to cause you to injure yourself." He snickered through the entirety of the sentence, but that didn't change the fact that he was serious about how Lucy looked.

"You think I'm sexy?"

"I haven't made that clear to you? I figured that me being inside of you was a pretty big indicator." Goosebumps popped up over every square inch of Lucy's body, making her hair stand on end, which caused Laxus to laugh once more.

"Good point," she choked out. Although he was entertained by her physical response, his face bore the slightest hint of regret.

"I hope you won't hold that against me." His voice sounded melancholy and rueful.

"Why would I hold it against you?"

"I know I already told you, but I was in a weird place when I kind of forced myself on you. I hope…" he paused. "I hope you can forgive me for that."

"_Forgive _you?" she was confused. "Forgive you for what? The most amazing orgasm I've ever had? Fat chance," she winked at him. His expression perked up, and her words touched his inner dragon.

"Come on, it couldn't have been the _most _amazing," he played modest.

"Laxus, I know you're not a moron; you couldn't tell how you were doing by how loud I was being? If I recall correctly, I believe that you had to use your cock to shut me up?" she said bluntly, putting her fingers to her chin as though deep in thought. Little spots of red crept up over his cheeks as he looked away from her and thought of the event. _Fuck, she's right._ "What's the matter, don't you remember?"

"Oh, I remember," he growled. "I remember how fucking tight you were you little slut." Although incredibly turned on, he stopped himself for a moment. "I-is it okay if I call you that? I don't want to make you uncomfortable." Lucy was taken aback by his question; she never pegged him as the type to drop what he was doing and verbally ask for consent, but the fact that he had shown that amount of respect for her had her womanhood dripping with desire.

"You can call me whatever you want, big boy. I am _yours_ after all." The way she purred the word 'yours' made Laxus' pants tight, notwithstanding that he was still wearing sweats. At least he could tell that she was willing to play his game.

"You're damn right you are." His eyes were hazy with lust, as they had been that day in the office.

"Yeah? So what are you gonna do it about it?" she lowered her voice, placing her finger to her lips seductively.

"Whatever the fuck I want." With that, Laxus leaned over and kissed her with the heat of a thousand suns. She closed her eyes, responding to his passion by melting into his lips. She threw her hands around his neck, being sure to run her fingers through his perfect blonde hair. She grabbed it in handfuls, tugging it as she felt pangs of excitement surge throughout her body. She gave a small moan as he bit her bottom lip, letting his teeth graze it until it was back in its normal position. She decided to be bold, for there was something about him that allowed her to feel like she could be; she slipped her tongue into his mouth, taking him by surprise. The shock, however, was short-lived, and he instantly retaliated by swirling his tongue around hers. She let out a mewl of pleasure, feeling the literal sparks dancing inside her mouth. That, coupled with the fruity flavor from the pavlova, only whetted Lucy's appetite for him further. She needed more, she needed all of him, and she needed it right goddamn now.

He pulled away from her and stood up so quickly it made her head spin. He removed his shirt, tossing it on the floor. He was wearing his normal brash grin on his face, looking down at Lucy like she was a meal that he was about to devour, which was true in some capacity. He made sure to give her ample time to admire his ripped physique, and admire it she did, licking her lips as she stared at him equally zealously. He grabbed her by the thighs and hoisted her up to him, being careful not to touch her sprained ankle. Lucy ignored the pain and wrapped her legs around his waist anyway, causing him to groan. She could feel his member poking against her, her hunger growing with every second that passed. The two of them began kissing again just as intensely, Lucy raking her nails into his clothed back.

"I'm going to rip this dress off of you, ya know," he breathed heavily.

Just as things were getting vehement and he had threatened her with a good time, a loud _thud_ could be heard from upstairs.

**xxxxxx**

**What was the noise that came from upstairs? What'll happen next? Stay tuned!**

****Hey all! I finished writing this chapter, which I think is one of my favorites so far, and I wanted to post it for you a little early because I'm excited about it! It's technically tomorrow's chapter, but oh well. I will still post another chapter on Tuesday as part of the regular schedule. Thank you all so much for your continued support with follows, favorites, and reviews! My writing would mean nothing without all of your support! ️ ️**

****On another note, I wanted to ask: are my chapters long enough? I told you that I would try to make them longer for you guys, so did I live up to what I promised? Let me know!**


	20. Chapter 20

WARNING: This scene may contain OOC behavior for a few characters (those damn dragon instincts!). Proceed with caution!

"What was that?" Laxus inquired, startled.

"Laxus, I need you to put me down." Lucy said gravely.

"Why?"

"Please, just do what I ask." He lowered her to the ground, supporting her until he was sure that she could put pressure on her foot. She was still in pain, but less so now that she was high on adrenaline. Fuck, why now? Fuck.

"What's going—" he interrupted himself as he inhaled sharply, a savage snarl emanating from his chest and erupting through his mouth.

"Look at me," Lucy commanded, but he, brimming with rage, paid her no mind. "Laxus!" she screamed, "I need you to look at me." She grabbed his face and pulled it down so that he was forced to meet her gaze. "I need you to wait here. Can you do that for me? Please?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Take care of it. Now," he growled. She nodded, not at all offended by his demanding tone; she knew that at this moment, he was exercising extreme self-control (which she appreciated), so she had to work fast.

She limped from the living room upstairs and to her bedroom, where she threw the door open and then slammed it behind her, locking it preemptively. Her pink-haired nitwit lay on the floor, as he normally did when he invited himself into her room.

"Hiya, Luce!" he greeted.

"Natsu, you need to leave right now," she warned, wasting no time with small-talk.

"Huh? What's up?" he asked, confused.

"Look, I'll explain it to you soon, but for the time being, I need you to stay away from me." She was curt; she didn't want to hurt him, but she knew that it was likely that she would have to in order to get her message across.

"Lucy…" Natsu stood from the ground, pain evident in his face. "What's going on? Are you in danger?"

"The only one in danger right now is you. Please, go!" she pleaded. Natsu was perplexed, to say the least. That is, until Lucy noticed him crinkle his nose as though something stunk.

"He's here, isn't he?" She stared at him, worried, but silent. "Laxus?"

"Yes, and you need to get out of here."

"Why should I have to go anywhere?" Natsu crossed his arms, and Lucy could tell that his patience was wearing as thin as hers.

"I DON'T HAVE TIME TO ARGUE WITH YOU! GET OUT!" Lucy thundered, pointing to the window. Natsu was astonished; she had never yelled at him like this. His heart sank.

"What is he doing to you, Lucy?" Natsu roared back. "You've been acting like a completely different person lately, and I don't like it! You would never yell at me like that, but ever since he came into the picture, all you've done is act like…" he paused, deliberating his next words, but he was so angry with Lucy's change in demeanor toward him, that instead he blurted out, "like a total BITCH!" He was so furious that he was sweating and panting like he'd just engaged in battle.

Lucy placed her hand over her mouth, gasping while tears cascaded from her eyes, petrified as if he had just committed murder before them. She knew that she was being brusque with him, but in reality, her only motive was to protect him; she believed that if she could make him mad enough that he would leave on his own, and that he would be safe even if he was reasonably upset with her. For him to call her that however...she wasn't prepared for the mental anguish that would follow. Before anyone could do or say anything else, Laxus began banging on the door.

"What's going on in there? Unlock this door!" he bellowed.

"Natsu," Lucy said sadly.

"You better do what your master tells you," he nodded to the door handle. Her stomach did somersaults in her torso as she flipped the lock on the door. Laxus all but busted it down on his way in, seething with rage from every pore in his body. Lucy stood between the two men, cowering in fear, thinking of the nuclear fallout that was likely about to ensue. I just hope that I can get my security deposit back.

Natsu narrowed his eyes. "So, Sparky, wanna explain why my best friend is telling me to get out?"

"Maybe it's because you don't live here." Laxus stated unforgivingly.

"And you do?" Natsu spat.

"My presence here is none of your concern. And you'd better remember who you're talking to."

"Right now, I don't care. Are you gonna kick me out of the guild? I'm so scared." Natsu rolled his eyes.

"If you'll recall, I'm pretty sure the one thing I can kick is your ass. Or have you forgotten that I've done it twice before?" Laxus challenged.

"What have you done to Lucy?"

"I don't know—"

"Don't you even try to tell me that you don't know what I'm talking about! Ever since she's been hanging around you, she's been acting way different!"

"Aww, is someone jealous that they've been replaced?" Laxus taunted.

"That's enough, you two!" Lucy intervened. Although physically incapable of restraining them, Lucy was hoping that she could talk the two of them down from the ledge.

"You will never replace me." Natsu hissed in a tone so menacing that Laxus was even surprised.

"Natsu, cut it out!" Lucy shouted.

"You better get outta here, Salamander," Laxus advised, holding back every instinct to punch his lights out.

"Laxus, quit it!"

"Are you gonna make me?"

"Please...stop…" Lucy beseeched, on the verge of a mental break down. "I can't stand to see you two fighting like this..."

"What if Lucy doesn't want me to go?" Natsu provoked with a wicked smile. "Did you ever think about that? I know the only reason she's telling me to is because you're here."

"Natsu…"

"Or, maybe she just doesn't want you here and it has nothing to do with me. Did you ever think about that?" Laxus retorted. Lucy realized that trying to reason with two territorial dragon slayers was a lost cause, and she slumped back, listening to two of the most important people in her life verbally assault each other. Okay, as long as nothing gets physical, hopefully things will be okay. "Maybe she doesn't appreciate you sneaking into her damn house every night, you cretin."

"And who are you to speak for her?"

"I'm her mate," Laxus' chest rumbled, "and I will not let you take her away from me." The vein on Laxus' forehead had popped out once again, and his face was red with ire. Natsu's face fell, Laxus' words seeming to echo throughout the room as though it were empty.

"Her...what?" he replied, agape.

"You heard me." It was strange to say aloud so casually, but it was even stranger to think that a couple of hours ago, he had been reluctant to say it at all, aloud or otherwise. Laxus had to admit that the word and its meaning were beginning to have a nice ring to it.

"You can't be."

"I am."

Natsu took a deep breath. "You're lying. You haven't claimed her."

"What am I, a lost pair of glasses?" Lucy said, unamused.

"No, it's not like that," Laxus assured her. "And no, I haven't claimed her...yet." What the hell are they talking about?

"Then she's not yours, Laxus. You know the rules."

"What are you getting at?"

"Never mind," Natsu said absentmindedly, his temper cooling off a bit. "It's not like you'll listen to me anyway."

"I think you'd better see yourself out before this gets really ugly." Laxus threatened.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going," Natsu grumbled, straddling the windowsill. "I'll see ya, Luce." Before Lucy could say goodbye, he dropped out of sight. She let out a sigh; whether it was of relief or anger she was unsure. She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath in.

"Listen, Blondie, I'm sorry you had to see me like that," Laxus apologized.

Ignoring his apology for the moment, Lucy looked at him and questioned, "What did he mean by you haven't 'claimed' me yet?"

"I told you, we have to consummate it first."

"So it's not official until…"

"No, it isn't. That's why I asked you to stay away from him," Laxus answered coolly. "Sometimes when a dragon slayer leaves their mate unclaimed for too long, it can leave them susceptible to," he thought of exactly how to phrase it, "unwanted attention."

"How so?"

He sighed. "When a dragon slayer suspects that he has found his mate, his hormone levels, especially those of his sex hormones, rage, and it triggers a kind of domino effect, where the hormones of other unmated dragon slayers surge as well. It's like a perfume; once somebody sprays it, it diffuses through the air and everyone smells it. Sometimes, it can lead them to…'step in' on other dragon-slayer territory."

"Step in?"

"Yes, as in...as in lay claim to someone else's mate."

Lucy gasped. "That's awful! How can they do that?"

"It's as natural as breathing for us, pure instinct. That's also why I've been trying to avoid your little pixie friend, the one with the blue hair?"

"You mean Levy?" Lucy screeched.

"Yeah."

"Wait, what? You haven't seriously thought about…?"

"Oh, I have," Laxus said unflinchingly. She tried to hide it, but she couldn't fool him as jealousy crept over her features. He grinned halfheartedly. "Don't worry, I've been keeping my distance, I know better than to get in Gajeel's way. I might be able to pound him under regular circumstances, but you never want to get in the way of a courting dragon slayer defending his domain."

Lucy's jaw dropped and was practically on the floor. "Levy is...she's...Gajeel's mate?!" The idea hit Lucy like a freight train going full speed.

"I'm almost certain of it. But he hasn't claimed her either, so tensions are twice as high right now," explained Laxus.

"What about Natsu?"

"That's the thing; he doesn't have one yet, at least that I know of, which makes him extremely dangerous. I won't assume that it's you until I know more, but I after that little spat, it wouldn't surprise me. It could just be the testosterone combined with his dragon instincts." Lucy gulped audibly. Mavis, please don't let Natsu be my mate too. I couldn't live with myself if either one of them had to die over me…

Without warning, Leo's gate opened, and he appeared, holding Lucy bridal-style.

"Hey, beautiful." He stared into her eyes; his good looks were nothing to sneeze at and he was quite charming, but now was definitely not the time for this.

"Wow, you're really fond of opening your own gate, aren't you?" Lucy rolled her eyes, annoyed. If I'm guessing correctly, things are about to get worse.

"Sounds like I came just in time. Looks like your foot is in pretty rough shape." He gestured his head toward her ankle. She hadn't noticed it over all the excitement, but her injury had turned purple and swelled up even more than before, likely from putting too much pressure on it for too long a period of time.

"Oh shit," she cursed. "Whoops."

"You know, even the foulest of words sound like poetry coming from that pretty little mouth of yours" Leo observed. "I bet it would look real pretty doing other things too," he purred, raising his eyebrows seductively.

"Umm, Loke, now's not really the best time—" Lucy squeaked, fearing that Laxus would symbollically murder him where he stood (considering he was a celestial spirit), but he still didn't seem to notice that Laxus was there.

"Oh, so what you're saying is that there will be a better time? Just tell me when and where, baby," said Loke, licking his lips.

"Alright, that's enough! Fuck off, Loke, you perverted bastard! She didn't even summon you!" Laxus boomed, shaking the room with his voice like a small-magnitude earthquake of envy. Boy, if Loke didn't know he was there before, he sure does now!

"Oh, h-hey, L-Laxus. Long time no s-see, buddy," Loke stuttered. He could tell by the fire in Laxus' eyes that he had royally fucked up. He was the king of the Zodiac, but even he was no real match for the lightning dragon slayer, and he knew it.

"I suggest that you leave before there are only eleven members of the Zodiac." Laxus warned through an icy stare.

"Well, guess I'll be going then." Leo rushed to Lucy's bed, essentially threw her down, and then he was gone in a puff of smoke, the words "Later, beautiful," lingering where he once stood. Lucy was dumbstruck by the swift interaction.

"I already wasn't in the mood to be toyed with, and then Loke showed up." Laxus shook his head.

"Yeah, he does that sometimes," she shrugged in a 'what can you do?' manner. "He's a great friend though, even if he is a pervert. He's been there for me so many times when I needed him." She smiled as nostalgia took her on a journey through some of her favorite adventures with him, but sadly, her thoughts were soon interrupted by the incessant throbbing in her wounded joint. She hissed in pain. "I guess that in a way, I did need him, otherwise I would probably still be standing on my bad foot without even thinking about it."

"I guess so," Laxus said unenthusiastically.

"You know, you can't mow down every guy that finds me attractive."

"I know, I'd never stop racking up bodies if that were the case," he joked tepidly. "Don't worry, I'll get better. I'm just a little on edge right now because of all that's happened."

"I know, I get it." Lucy's head fell. "Honestly, I'm just really confused right now. It's like my brain is racing and there's nothing I can do to make it stop." She massaged her temples, trying to ease the headache that arose as a result of the last few hours. "I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"When this is all over and the dust settles, I need you to apologize to Natsu," she requested. "I want you to make amends with him. You might be my mate, but he's my best friend in the entire world, and I don't want to live a life that doesn't have him in it." She screamed internally thinking back on the fight that had materialized between them, but was also grateful that it hadn't escalated to a physical level. "Please, it would mean everything to me." She looked into his eyes, and he could see that she was both serious and seriously hurt. Nothing that he did was ever geared toward aggrieving her, but he knew he had let his personal fury get the best of him, and that there was only so much he could blame on his natural impulses.

He understood that right now, Natsu was his rival, his enemy, but that time would pass eventually, and that above all, he was Lucy's companion, her teammate, and that he would be real dick to try and interfere with a relationship built on so much platonic love and trust.

"When everything is over, I promise I will. I know I'm being overly protective, but I can also grasp how important he must be to you."

"Thank you," Lucy smiled. She yawned subsequently.

"We'd better get you to bed. I know that you were tired before we even got here." . He fetched her some pajamas from her dresser and helped her dress. Then, it was his turn to pick Lucy up bridal-style. He pulled back the comforter on the bed, laid her down gently (careful to take into account her sprain) and pulled it up over her.

"Laxus?" Lucy called out, already half asleep.

"Yeah?"

"Sleep with me." Her eyes peeked out from under the covers, wide and innocent like those of a child. He crawled over top of her to get to the other side of the bed, which was pushed up against the wall. He laid atop the blanket, not wanting to overstep any boundaries; sure, he was her life-long partner and he had already had sex with her, but now that he was positive that she was the one he was determined to do things right, which meant starting off slow until she decided that she was ready for more.

Lucy rolled over to face him. "How are you supposed to keep me warm if you're on top of the blanket, silly?" Laxus could tell that she was drained by the way she was talking, but he obeyed and joined her beneath the covers. Lucy got as close to him as she could, and snuggled her face in his chest. "That's better," she chimed, drifting off immediately afterward. Laxus took this as an opportunity to caress her beautiful hair once more and appreciate how genuinely adorable she was. It didn't take long for him to also fall into a gentle slumber, and for now, at least, he felt more at peace than he had in a long time.

**xxxxxx**

**What will Natsu do now that he knows about Lucy and Laxus? Is he also Lucy's mate? Stay tuned!**

****Well, boys and girls, that was a long one! I hope you enjoyed the newest installment. I must again take the time to thank you all for you follows, favorites, and reviews! Keep 'em coming! =)**


	21. Chapter 21

_**WARNING: More OOC behavior ahead. Also, I would like to mention that there may be triggers in this scene for victims of sexual assault. Maybe it isn't offensive, but I would rather warn you and have it not be offensive than not warn you and accidentally cause someone mental anguish.**_

_The sky was dark, and deafening thunder clapped around her in all directions. The guild hall was in shambles, as were friendships; all of the members of Fairy Tail were yelling at one another in a language that Lucy couldn't understand. She cried out to them to help her, to end this pain, but they looked right through her and the fighting persisted. She whipped her head around, seeing the two dragon slayers before her._

"_I told you I would kill you, you fucking idiot! Now, you're going to pay!" Laxus roared, sprouting wings and a scaly tail._

"_Not if I kill you first! Lucy is mine, you hear me? Mine!" All of a sudden, Natsu was engulfed in flames, and he also sprouted wings and a tail. Within a matter of seconds, the two men were full-blown dragons. The quarreling amongst her guilmates had ceased, at least for the moment. Instead, they all stared up at the now-dragons in terror. Natsu was the first to attack, seizing Laxus by the throat, hurling him down to where everyone stood. Lucy witnessed as many of her friends were crushed, blood and viscera splattering everywhere. Severed limbs lay scattered among the remains of the decimated guild hall. Laxus was bloodied, but he managed to get up and return to the sky, where he bashed Natsu's skull with his tremendous tail. This time, the red dragon's corpse was heading right for Lucy when..._

Lucy jolted upward in her bed and screamed bloody murder, sweating profusely through her nightwear. Laxus sat up as well, horrified at the sight of her; her hair was matted and her skin mucid from perspiration, and she was breathing like she had just finished a marathon.

"You okay, Blondie?"

"Yeah, it was just a dream." She was trying to reassure herself more than him.

"It won't happen, you know. At least not like that." _At least, not like that_, she repeated in her mind.

"How did you—"

"I can see your dreams too, remember?" He pointed to his temple.

"Right," she recalled, her tone inattentive.

"I know what I said before, but I'll do everything I can to make sure that it doesn't come to that. I want you to understand that," he comforted her. "I swear. As long he he cooperates, everything will be fine." Lucy shuddered thinking about Natsu and how he liked to play by his own rules.

"I'm gonna try to go back to sleep."

"I'll be right here if you need me." Laxus pulled her in close and wrapped his arms around her in a protective embrace. "Just know that no matter how this plays out, I won't let anything happen to you."

Lucy had to admit that the way he was holding her was soothing. It wasn't long before she fell asleep once more, and Laxus was right behind her.

_***The Next Morning***_

Once they had awakened, Laxus took Lucy to the guild hall infirmary as promised. Wendy gave them a strange look when they entered together, but it only took her a minute or so to put two and two together. She looked into Lucy's eyes inquisitively, and Lucy gave her a subtle nod. Wendy's face brightened and she beamed at the couple.

"Congrats, you two!" she cheered. "Or, at least, I _think _that's what you're supposed to say?"

"I know what you mean, Wendy, and thanks," Luced smiled back.

"Do you think you can fix the sprain?" Laxus asked. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the sentiment of Wendy's words, but that he didn't consider himself to be much of a conversationalist toward anyone except Lucy. Also, being at the guild hall for any reason was making him tense considering the current situation

"Oh yeah, it'll be easy!" she chirped. She placed her hands in the ready position above Lucy's injury. Within seconds, the pressure from the swelling began to let up. After about four minutes, she was able to move her ankle without difficulty and put her full weight on it.

"Thanks, Wendy, you're the best!" Lucy said, swirling her foot around. _Wow, it feels better than ever!_

"How did you hurt yourself? If you don't mind me asking." Lucy's face flushed at the question from her blue-haired friend.

"Umm...I may have twisted it...while walking in heels that were too high," she confessed. Laxus chuckled to himself at the memory, and Lucy whipped her head around to glare at him.

"Oh," was all that Wendy had to say in response.

"Well, we'd better get going. Thanks for the help," said Laxus.

"Hey, no problem! See you guys later!" Wendy waved and walked away to join Carla at the opposite end of the room. With that, Laxus and Lucy were on their way.

"Do me a favor and stay close to me," Laxus instructed, putting his brawny arm around her delicate shoulders.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Laxus grinned at her enthusiasm. Honestly, Lucy was elated that he was willing to show her off in public; if anything, she figured that he would be embarrassed, but she was glad that this obviously wasn't the case.

The hallway leading to the infirmary gave way to the main part of the hall with the bar, stage, and rows of tables. Some of their guild mates minded their own business as they proceeded through the room, but others looked at the new couple, their mouths agape from shock. Laxus could hear the whispers that were fluttering around:

"_Lucy and Laxus? When did __**that **__happen?" _asked Elfman.

"_Oh hell yeah, my girl did it!" _murmured Cana to Mirajane (who seemed to be confused about what that meant) at the bar.

"_How long do you think they've been banging?"_ Wakaba wondered to Macao. _"No idea, this is news to me,"_ his friend responded.

"_I guess I'm finally going to get those grandbabies that I've been wanting!" _Makarov said quietly to himself. Laxus smiled. _One day, gramps. She's the one, that's for sure._

They walked from one end of the guildhall to the other while their comrades chattered away. They were practically home free...until they got to the last row of tables.

"Hey there, Bunny Girl." Gajeel sat alone holding a tankard of beer, which was normal for him, but there was something about him that was off-putting, something out of the ordinary with him as well. It took a few seconds for it to click in her mind, but Lucy realized that because Levy wasn't there, Gajeel was staring at her like she was a piece of meat, and he was a man who had just been rescued after being isolated in the desert for several days with no food or water. She gulped. "Lightning boy," he greeted Laxus, not nearly as eagerly. Laxus nodded at him.

"Hey, Gajeel," Lucy said, her voice quavering.

"Hey Laxus, what do you think the chances are that I could talk to her alone for a second about somethin'?" said Gajeel, not even attempting to hide that he was licking his lips.

"Not gonna happen," Laxus stated bluntly.

"Oh come on, it's important!"

"Yeah? What's it about?"

This caught him off guard. "Well, uh...you know. I was just going to ask her...to ask her if she wanted to…" he stopped to think. "Go on a mission with me and Shadow Gear! Yeah!" he convinced himself. "Yep, tomorrow night, we're setting out, and I need to tell her all the details, but it's top-secret, so I'm gonna need you to leave while I do that."

Laxus raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you take me for a fool?"

"No, man. I know what you're thinking, and it's not like that!"

"Really? Then why did your scent change as soon as we walked over here?" He knew that Gajeel was trying to encroach on his territory, and he wasn't about to let that happen.

"I don't know? Maybe it was just a coincidence."

"Where's your little pixie?" inquired Laxus, trying to distract him.

"Well, she ain't here." said Gajeel, taking a huge swig of beer. "Or are you blind _and_ stupid?" Laxus gave no reaction; he was not going to pick a fight in front of the entire guild. However, if he ever met Gajeel somewhere in a dark alley…let is be said that he would remember the stunt he tried to pull that day.

"Is there a reason you aren't with her?"

"She went out with some of the other ladies for a 'girl's day'." He put air quotes around the phrase. "Look, I ain't her dad, she can do what she wants." After that statement, it became clear to Laxus that he was as in denial about his circumstances with Levy as Laxus had been with Lucy a few days prior. _Poor bastard still hasn't accepted it yet._

"Let's go, Blondie." Laxus kept his arm firmly around Lucy. This, however, did not stop Gajeel from grabbing her wrist as they walked past.

"I said I have to talk to her," Gajeel sneered.

"Laxus, maybe you should just let me talk to him, it'll only take—" Lucy began.

"No. Let go of her. _Now_," Laxus grumbled menacingly. Gajeel growled back at him, tightening his grip on her arm.

"Ow, that hurts! Let me go, Gajeel!" Lucy shrieked, trying to pull away from him unsuccessfully. She struggled for a moment, but realized it was a moot point against the iron dragon slayer's strength. The interaction was starting to turn heads in the guild. _Dammit, this is just what I need right now_, thought Laxus, _and here of all the goddamn places_.

"I'm going to ask you one more time to release her," Laxus uttered through clenched teeth.

"Or what? You gonna beat me up? Don't make me laugh," Gajeel challenged. "I'm just asking to have a few minutes alone with Bunny Girl here, what's so wrong with that?" he feigned innocence.

"What's wrong with that is I know what you plan to do with those few minutes, you sick bastard."

"Who, me? I would never," said Gajeel with a vicious grin that showed off his sharp canines.

"You know what? On second thought," Laxus started, pulling his arm away from Lucy. Was he really just going to give her to Gajeel? Keeping in mind what he had told her about the 'domino effect' and what sometimes happened with dragon slayers and the mates of others, she was fearful, and understandably so. "Why don't you go ahead and talk to her about that job? I'll give you four minutes." He smiled. _What the hell is he doing? _wondered Lucy.

Gajeel once again licked his lips, yanking Lucy closer to where he was seated like she were a rag doll. "Glad you came to your senses."

Laxus placed both hands on the surface of the table, leaned down close to Gajeel's face, and said in a voice just low enough for the three of them to hear: "Just know that in four minutes, I have plenty of time to hunt down your little blue-haired female and 'talk to her about a job' myself. I can already smell her; it'd take me mere _seconds_ to teleport to her, leaving me about three minutes and thirty seconds to do whatever I wanted. I'd be back before you even knew what happened." Lucy had never seen Gajeel's face turn such a shade of ivory, and he released his grasp on her.

He rose from the table, and muttered "See ya later, cosplayer." before walking away without another glance. Laxus assumed his original position with his arm around Lucy, and this time, the two of them did not stop to say hello to anyone else on their way out of the guildhall. Laxus opened the heavy wooden door for them, and they stepped outside, feeling liberated as the fresh air danced around their faces.

They walked to Lucy's apartment in silence. Once they arrived and made their way inside, Laxus locked the door behind them. He turned around to face Lucy. His expression was serious, but not heated or pompous.

"This is why." he said simply. "This is why I need you to stay away from Natsu right now."

"He really wanted to be alone with me so that he could—?"

"Yes. He was going to take you and run, probably to his dorm."

Lucy's heart was galloping in her chest like a coked-up racehorse, her breath hitching with every inhale. "What if I didn't want to?"

"That wouldn't have stopped him." She felt a pang of intense fear flood through her entire body, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "Once he decided he wanted you, that would have been it."

"You can't be serious…"

"I am. Dead." Lucy felt a single tear slip from her eye and slither down her cheek. She wiped it away reflexively, startled when consciously realized that there was moisture on her hand. _He would have...he would have assaulted me? Just like that?_

"Laxus…" she fell to her knees which were weak from panic and betrayal. She stared at the floor, more tears following the first. "He's my friend, how could he…" He waited for a little while, but she never finished her sentence.

"He isn't right now." Laxus dropped to his knees as well, sitting before her. _I guess not. If Natsu ever found out about this, he would murder Gajeel without a second thought. _Lucy snapped her head up, her eyes wide._ Natsu...would he..? There's no way…_

"I need you to be honest with me." she declared. He nodded in acknowledgement. "_If _he were given the chance...Natsu...would he…" It pained her to even think, let alone say. "Would he do the same thing?"

"Without a second thought." Laxus stated straightforwardly. Lucy gasped and covered her mouth; the thought of her best friend, the person she trusted more than anyone else in her life, the person she would give her life for if it boiled down to it, forcing himself on her was too much to bear.

"I...I don't believe you!" she shouted. "Natsu isn't like that, he would never do something so vile!"

Laxus sighed; seeing the agony this was causing her troubled him as well, but he wasn't going to lie to her to make the position she was in seem any less dire than it actually was.

"It doesn't have anything to do with his personality. His dragon instincts can't be overcome no matter how nice of a person he is, that just isn't how it works. Listen to me, Lucy," she was always thrown off guard when he used her real name, "I was able to get you away from Gajeel because I used the idea of Levy to manipulate him, but I don't have that kind of leverage with Natsu. If he were to put his hands on you like that and demand to be alone with you—"

"You would have to fight him." Lucy finished for him. _"And potentially kill him,"_ Laxus wanted to finish, but he resisted the urge to cause her any more anguish; she already knew, so there was no reason to throw the idea in her face again. Instead, he nodded.

"Now, do you understand why I've been so unwilling to bend on this?"

"I do," she replied, defeat resonating in her voice. "Knowing what I know now, I'm sorry that I've been so stubborn."

Laxus wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her. "Don't you dare apologize. You didn't ask for any of this to happen." She hugged him back and sobbed into his chest. He let her cry it out while he petted her hair. He wasn't sure about what to say at this point because he still wasn't a pro when it came to romance or affection, but Lucy appreciated his attempts to be sweet all the same.

"I guess not," she sniffled.

He lifted her chin so that she was looking directly into his eyes. She was surprised by how they appeared; for the first time since she had met him, they were tender, sympathetic even, and rather sad. She was fairly sure that they watered up, as though he might cry for her. "You didn't ask for any of this to happen," he repeated, "and that's why when this is all over, I'm going to make sure that I give you the best life I can." She drew in a sharp breath at his words. "You deserve to be happy, and I want to be the one to provide you with that happiness." Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and drew herself close to his face, kissing him intensely. He kissed her back, pressing his hands to her hips. Lightning arced between their lips, and Lucy felt light-headed as it pricked her, but in a positive way. She pulled away from him, gazing once again into his eyes.

"I thought you weren't good at this stuff?" she asked, beaming at him. She pushed the sadness out of her mind, wanting to focus on the man right in front of her.

"I suppose I have my moments," he grinned back.

**Xxxxxx**

**What will happen the next time Lucy sees Natsu? When will she see him again? What will Laxus do if or when that happens? Stay tuned!**

****This chapter was a bit dark, but I wanted to convey the seriousness of the situation, and I think I got my point across! Thanks once more to those of you that have shown your support by following, favoriting, or leaving reviews! I'll keep posting, you all keep reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

After their sentimental moment, the two went to Lucy's room, being sure to lock and barricade the window without any argument. Now that she had experienced firsthand how dangerous a dragon slayer seeking to mate was, she was unwilling to take any unnecessary chances. Thankfully her apartment had only one entrance (or at least one 'official' entrance, considering her teammates, like mice, often just crawled in from any opening they could squeeze through, or so it seemed, anyway), which was secure. They scouted the rest of the windows in the building, and were sure to lock and barricade them as well. Once they were certain that no one would be able to sneak in, they let out a sigh of relief. They went back to Lucy's room and flopped down on the bed, mentally and emotionally drained.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Lucy.

"Whatever you want," Laxus smiled at her. Every time he gave her that look, something in her brain overloaded her dopamine sensors and she overflowed with joy. Of course, Laxus knew this by now, so he was sure to do it as often as possible. _I wonder what it is about me that makes her so giddy._ He looked to the side for the moment, thinking. "Within reason," he added.

Lucy looked off into the distance. "Nothing comes to mind. You have any ideas?"

"One or two."

"Yeah?"

"We could just...talk," he suggested.

"Really, you want to just talk?" She was stupefied, to say the least; mostly when guys had her alone, they wanted sexual favors. Then again, she could say with certainty that Laxus was unlike any of the men she had been with before.

"Well, probably more like you'd be talking. I'm better at the listening part, in case you haven't noticed."

"What do you want me to say? Or, what do you want to know?"

"Really, I want to know everything. After all, there's a possibility we'll be spending our lives together." Her eyes widened. A..._possibility?_ Laxus noticed the change in her expression and hormones, and immediately sought to ease her concern: "I'm not taking back anything I said, if that's what you're thinking. I meant every word of it, and I still do. But you have to remember; you're not officially my mate until I've claimed you. Until then, you can still change your mind, and I wouldn't hold it against you if you did."

"But that would be it for you." Lucy recalled sadly.

"It's not like life is always fair," he shrugged.

"That's the truth," Lucy looked away, her head down. "Okay, how about this; we take turns asking each other questions, that way we're both getting to know each other as opposed to it being one-sided. You've done a lot of explaining over the last few days, but I've only learned about the primal side of you, and you're more than just your instincts. I want to get to know you as a person. No boundaries, you can ask me anything you want."

"Deal. I could have some fun with this." There was that smug-ass smile she was waiting for. "But just know that the same goes for me. No boundaries."

"You start," Lucy commanded. _Dammit, she beat me to it._

"Uhh, okay?" he responded hesitantly. "How did you get into celestial magic?"

This was an unexpected first question, but she was grateful that he took an interest in her abilities. "Well, my mother was a celestial wizard, so it's kind of in my blood. When she died, some of her spirits were passed down to me and their contracts were transferred. Aquarius was my first, and then Cancer. When we were fighting Grimoire Heart, I learned that Capricorn also used to be one of hers. It's kind of a long story, but my mom gave his key to someone else, and he was supposed to give me the key when I became a celestial wizard. But, he changed his mind and ended up breaking his contract instead. He committed a taboo; he took over Capricorn's body and used it to fight alongside Grimoire Heart in the Seven Kin of Purgatory." Lucy had to stop talking for a short time as the painful memory resurfaced, but it only took her a minute or so to regain her composure. "I didn't know it was possible, but that's what happened. When Zoldeo, or at least I think that was his name, was finally expelled from Capricorn's body, Capricorn told me everything. It was a heartwarming reunion for me." Her eyes began to water as she smiled. "My mother always treated her spirits with love and kindness, so I wanted to be the same way when I grew up. After I started getting more keys, my love for them only became stronger and more, and they were all willing to lay down their lives to protect me, so I knew that they loved me too. My spirits are my friends, and wouldn't trade my relationship with them for anything ."

Laxus lay in silence for a time, but afterwards he spoke: "Sorry, I wasn't ignoring you or anything, I was just taking it all in. It sounds like you've been through a lot with them."

"I have, and that's why they're so special to me, because some of them have been there longer than anyone else." She smiled, thinking about her celestial companions. "It's my turn I guess. No boundaries right?"

"Right." He agreed.

"How did you…" she was reluctant to ask because she'd never heard him discuss it before, but she had always been curious about it. She tried, but she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.

"Spit it out, Blondie."

_The only way I'll get an answer is if I ask the question_, she thought. She took a deep breath, and blurted, "How did you get that scar?" She pointed to her own right eye to demonstrate.

The look on his face was shocked to say the least. He stared down at the bed, silent, unmoving.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that," said Lucy, instantly regretting having asked.

"No, it's okay, it's just that...no one else has ever asked me before."

"_Ever?"_

"Nope. I don't know if it's because they were afraid of me or what, but no one has ever bothered." Lucy was intrigued. "Remember how we talked about the whole 'second generation' dragon slayer thing?"

"Yes."

Laxus sighed, and Lucy could feel the pain that was apparent in it. "When I was eight, my father decided that my magic wasn't strong enough for his liking. He wanted his son to be the best, and I didn't make the cut. So he...he got his hands on a lacrima. He could have taken me to a doctor to have it surgically implanted, but he was too impatient for that, the healing process be damned. So he took the lacrima...and he forced it in. He held me down, and before I knew what was happening, I was blind in one eye. It took months for me to get my sight back after that. Once it was in, I felt the effects immediately; it was like every cell in my body was being electrocuted. I was in so much physical pain that I was afraid it was rejecting me, but after a couple of minutes I came to. Honestly, I don't remember too much of my life that happened before the lacrima aside from my father sitting on my chest while I struggled to break free."

"You...you don't remember your childhood at all?"

"Not really, but maybe that's for the best. From what Gramps tells me, I'm glad that I don't. Anyway, after that, he took me away from my father by force and raised me as his own." He placed his hand thoughtfully to his scar. "As much as I despise my father, I gotta hand it to him; I think the bastard did me a favor."

"But he permanently disfigured you and forced power on you that you didn't necessarily want," Lucy pointed out.

"Maybe so, but if it weren't for that day, I wouldn't be nearly as strong as I am now, magically or otherwise. Sometimes you just have to find a bright side when shit hits the fan and use that to push through it." Lucy was astounded that he was being so optimistic about something so horrible, but she commended his resilience.

"You don't know that."

"Huh?"

"You don't know that you wouldn't have been strong, and he never gave you the chance to find out for yourself. He took that choice away from you."

"Like I said, it isn't like life is always fair." It pained Lucy to see him be so complacent with such a monstrous deed, but it was clear to her that he had made his peace with it, and that she would be better off dropping the subject.

"My turn?" Laxus asked.

"Yeah."

"How many guys have you been with?"

Lucy flinched ever so slightly. "Define '_been with'_."

"I think you know what I meant."

Unfortunately, she did. "Four."

He smirked at her. "Man, I expected your body count to be a little higher if I'm being honest. I mean, just look at you." He scanned her up and down, admiring her nearly perfect features without being subtle. _Am I supposed to be flattered or offended by that?_

"I don't just go around banging random strangers for fun, Laxus." His face twisted like he was insulted. Lucy put her hands up and shook them. "That wasn't a judgement call or anything, I'm just saying that it isn't for me. The only guys I've ever been with like that are ones that I thought I could trust, and all of them were mistakes." She had a troubled look in her eyes.

"Anyone from the guild?" His question took her by surprise.

"Well…" she bit her bottom lip.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Laxus, chuckling. "Who was it?"

"I don't think I can tell you."

"Oh, come on. I'm not gonna do anything to them. I can't persecute you for things that happened before you knew about our situation."

"I'm gonna need you to promise that you won't."

He placed his hand over his heart. "Scout's honor." He spent a second thinking, and his face turned sour. "It...it wasn't Salamander, was it?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "He's like my brother! I couldn't even imagine…" she shivered. She loved Natsu, but the idea of being physically intimate with him made her uncomfortable.

"_Phew,"_ Laxus exhaled.

"It was…" she faltered. Her heart was beating a mile a minute thinking about how he would react. "It was...Gray." She hid her face in her hands. "When I first joined the guild, he was so nice to me and he made me feel welcome. We started talking, and eventually one thing lead to another…" she trailed off. "We dated in secret for a little while, but then Juvia joined the guild, and we mutually decided that it wasn't worth all the crazy." Lucy adored Juvia, but when it came to Gray, that woman couldn't be reasoned with, and everyone knew it. "We're still good friends, and we don't resent each other or anything. We both just accepted that it wasn't meant to be and moved on."

"So, no feelings left, right?"

"Nope. We're just really close friends, and that's all we'll ever be." she assured him. "I'm afraid to ask."

"Ask what?"

"The same question you asked me."

"I'll be blunt with you; I lost track a long time ago." Laxus stated. "But, none of them ever meant anything to me." Lucy wasn't sure if that was supposed to make her feel better or worse. He took ahold of her hands. "You're the only one that matters now anyway." Lucy blushed. "That's behind me; you're the only one I'll ever want now."

"Since I didn't actually ask you and you just kind of told me, is it still my turn?" Lucy asked.

"Sure."

She held back tears. "I need you to be as honest with me as possible."

"I always am," he reminded her.

"Right. So, when you finally realized that I was your mate...were you...were you disappointed?"

"Well, Blondie, despite the preconceived notions you may have had about me," he grinned, "I was actually pretty happy about it."

Lucy's eyes grew wide with wonder. "You...you were?"

"I was. I was in denial about it for a long time, but of course, you already knew that. I don't want you to get the idea that it had anything to do with you personally, though, I just didn't want to be tied down to _anyone_. But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized; what difference does it make if that person was made for me and makes me happy? Why would I need other women if one is out there and she was created for the purpose of being mine, and I for being hers? It would be pretty selfish of me to throw that away. When I found out that _you_ were that person…" he gazed out the window. "I was scared. I denied it because, yes I didn't want to be anchored to one person, but…"

"But what?"

"You're a good person. Look at all the lives you've touched since you joined Fairy Tail. Look at all the people that love you and would be willing to die for you." Lucy had never considered in depth the magnitude of her impact on the guild before, but after giving it some thought, she knew he was right. "But me…what have I ever done except hurt the people I'm supposed to care about?"

"Laxus, you can't do that to yourself." Lucy said. "That was a long time ago, and you've made amends since then."

"It doesn't mean that I don't think about those days. They haunt me."

"You've changed. No one holds it against you. And besides, look at how many times you've saved all of our asses since then," she smiled at him comfortingly.

"As I was saying, the main reason I was so unwilling to accept it is that...well, frankly, you deserve better. I didn't want to believe that someone like you would be punished for being born by having to deal with me forever." Before the last few days, Lucy had never seen Laxus as anything more than stoic, apathetic, and selfish, using women to feel powerful and drowning his sorrows in booze. The more she spent time with him, however, the more she realized that he only put on a tough face for his fellow guildmates.

"I'm not being punished for anything. You even said I have the option to leave if I want to." She took his face in her tiny hands and stroked his cheek affectionately. "I'm not going anywhere," she said, gazing into his eyes, which seemed to be filled with bewilderment. _How can she still look at me that way knowing what kind of monster I am? _"You aren't a monster." she mirrored his concern.

"I think you're the only person that sees me that way."

"Maybe I am, but who cares what everyone else thinks of you? You think they're perfect? You think they've never made mistakes in their lives?" Lucy cried out. _I can't stand to see him think of himself like this. _"If they can't let go, then that's _their_ problem, not yours! Don't spend your life trying to please people that refuse to be satisfied!" Lucy's words struck him like a bolt of lightning (no pun intended) while a single tear rolled down her face. _Maybe she's right, _contemplated Laxus. "Take it from someone who knows." Her tone changed to one of agony. "You can't please everyone, so at least be happy with yourself. Own up to your past, and use it as a learning experience. You can't take it back, so there's just no sense in trying so hard to erase it." She was young, but she had suffered greatly in her short life, so she was wise.

She looked up at him, more tears threatening to make an entrance on her burning cheeks. "It's your turn," she said simply.

Without missing a beat, he asked, "Do you think you could ever love me?"

The question hit Lucy like a ton of bricks. "W...what?"

"Do you think you could ever really, truly love me? Or will we just coexist because of our circumstances?"

She took some time to formulate a response before she spoke: "I know I could. In fact, I'm already starting to." Her reply shook him to his well-defined core. "How can I not fall for you when you're being so honest with me? All you've done for the past several days is show me that you care about me, whether it was telling me the truth about everything or carrying me home when I hurt myself. Honestly…" she blushed, "I know that it's only been a few days, but you've already done more for me than most men that have ever been a part of my life. Maybe that's sad, but it's accurate. I can tell that you're trying so hard, even though you think you're not any good at this. We may be somewhat 'forced' together if that's the word you wanna use, but I don't see it that way at all."

Laxus' face relaxed at her answer, and the tension building in his jaw left in an instant. "Is that how you really feel?"

"I have no reason to lie to you," Lucy smiled at him.

"Lucy…" He wanted more than anything to claim her right then and there. Most of the time, people only wanted to use him for his power or his body, but sitting right before him was a woman who wanted him for everything she believed he had to offer. His heart was palpitating in his chest, his throat was dry, and a sweat broke out across his forehead and his palms. _Is this...is this what love feels like? What is she doing to me?_

After her response to that question, it was easier for Laxus to open up to Lucy. The two spent several hours subsequently sharing laughs and secrets alike; they discussed everything, from favorite colors and past experiences, to irrational fears and insecurities. They bonded over foods that they liked, and even spent a short time conversing about literature, which was an area of strength for her. Eventually, Lucy wound up in his arms, and he held her to his chest while they talked.

However, shortly thereafter, their dialogue was interrupted by an urgent tapping sound on the window.

**xxxxxx**

**Who could be at the window? Hint: It's probably not who you would think!**

**Hey all! I must apologize for the short hiatus; I've been having some difficulty trying to overcome writer's block lately, so I hope everyone enjoyed this latest chapter! I tried to lighten the mood a bit with some cute LaLu banter and heart-to-hearts (minus Laxus' story about his scar). I figured you all could use a break from the dark stuff for at least a chapter. Thanks for the continued support from everyone! Stay tuned!**


	23. Chapter 23

**WARNING: Some darker content near the end of the chapter.**

"Lucy, let me in!" cried a small, shrill voice. _Oh no, _she thought. She lifted herself from Laxus' chest, crawled over to the window, and began disassembling the makeshift barricade.

"What are you doing? Are you out of your mind right now?" Laxus scolded.

"Calm down, it's just Happy!" she turned away from him and faced Happy through the still-locked window. "Happy, are you okay? What's going on?"

"It's Natsu. He...he…" Happy panicked.

"Spit it out, cat!"

"He's gone berserk! I tried to ask him what was going on with you lately because it feels like we haven't seen you in forever and he…" Happy was bawling at this point. "He lashed out at me. He screamed at me, and then he told me to get out! I don't know what's going on with him." Happy shook as he told his story.

"Happy…" Lucy sounded heartbroken. She turned her head back to Laxus. "Laxus, I know what we said, but we have to let Happy in."

"How do we know that Salamander isn't right behind him? How do we know that the cat isn't trying to distract you so you'll let your guard down?" It was obvious that Laxus was on edge at the moment, but Lucy didn't blame him, not after the incident with Gajeel.

"We don't. But Happy is my friend, and if he's in real danger…" her expression hardened, "then I could never forgive myself if I didn't open that window." Laxus frowned at her. "Besides, if Natsu were here, wouldn't you be able to smell him?"

"Good point," he confessed. "Unlock the window and crack it, just enough for some of the outside air to get in." Lucy followed his instructions, and when the air began to leak in through the window, Laxus took a deep breath and scrutinized the intermingled scents that filled his nostrils; there was the canal, the trees, and even the faintest hint of a dog, but no Natsu. "We're good, but if you're gonna let him in, I suggest you do it quickly." Lucy pushed the window open, and Happy zoomed in. She slammed it shut, locked it, and blockaded it once more. Happy flew into her chest and she wrapped her arms around him in a protective embrace.

"Lucy, it was awful. He was so mean to me."

"It's okay, you're safe now." Lucy stroked the exceed's ears. "Now, tell me what happened."

"I will, but first, why is Laxus here?" he wondered.

"That's a long story for a later time."

"Okay. Well, you see, we had lots of yummy fishies at home from the fishing trip we went on a few days ago. I got one out of the fridge to eat it...it tasted amazing. Natsu tried to get me to let him cook it, but everyone knows I like my fish raw—"

"Focus, Happy!"

"Sorry. Anyway, I noticed that Natsu didn't seem like himself; he was irritable and he looked kinda nervous. That's when it hit me; I knew he hadn't been to visit you for a little while, or at least that I knew of, so I thought that maybe going to see you would make him feel better, but when I mentioned your name...he got angry. _Really_ angry. It was so scary. I've never seen him act like that before outside of battle. So I tried to calm him down and ask him why he was so mad. I didn't even know I did anything wrong. All I said was 'Let's go see Lucy—', and before I could finish my sentence, I saw fire in his eyes. I don't know what kind of fight you guys are having, but whatever it's about, he's furious. He told me to get out of the house, and that if I—I'm gonna say a bad word now—'Want to go see the bitch," Happy covered his mouth, gasping as the word escaped. When no one castigated him, he assumed it was safe to begin talking again: "so badly, that I could just take my worthless butt there myself'. He didn't say 'butt', though. I can't believe that he said that to me." Happy was quivering thinking about the look in Natsu's eyes when he had more or less told him to fuck off.

"Listen, Happy, none of this is your fault, okay?" Lucy consoled him.

"What happened?" The cat sobbed. "Why are you guys fighting?

"It's kind of a long story, but...Laxus, maybe you should tell him."

Laxus explained to him practically everything he had to Lucy, foregoing the romantic and sexual details. Afterward, Happy stopped crying.

"So, he's acting this way because he's mad that he can't have you like Laxus can?"

"Pretty much," Laxus confirmed.

"I can see how that's frustrating, but why's he have to take it out on me?" he grumbled.

"He just isn't himself right now, and he won't be until this is all over." Lucy cringed thinking about what her and Laxus had talked about earlier: _"What if I didn't want to?" "That wouldn't have stopped him."_

"So what are you waiting for, Laxus? Just claim her so I can have my best friend back!" Laxus gasped and blushed, and Lucy followed suit.

"Happy, it's not that simple," Lucy said.

"Why not?"

"Because Lucy has to decide that she's ready for that. It's a big commitment," Laxus replied.

"I don't get why you guys are being so weird about it. Don't you just have to say something like 'you're mine now' out loud?" _Oh poor, sweet, naive Happy_.

"I wish that were all it took." Lucy said.

"I just want Natsu to stop being angry…" Happy lamented.

"Laxus, I need to talk to you alone for a second." Lucy grabbed his arm and pulled him into the hallway. "I think we should let him stay here for a little while. He seems pretty shaken up."

Laxus shook his head. "We can't. In the event that Salamander decides to come looking for him, he'll be able to track his scent to the outside of the window, and you know what that means."

Lucy sighed and let her head fall. "Then what are we supposed to do? Just kick him out and leave him with no place to go?"

"No. I have a plan, but it might be a little risky."

"What is it?"

"I can take him to the guild hall and ask Mira to look after him. I'll tell her what's going on, and I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides, I have to talk to a few people anyway to get some information." His plan seemed solid, but Lucy noticed that he was tense.

"It sounds like a good plan, but why do you look so anxious?"

"Because if I go through with it, there are things to consider. I can't bring you with me for starters."

"So, you'd have to leave me here then."

"Alone, likely for a couple of hours, unprotected. Not that it would take me too long to get around if I know where I'm going, but whether I'll be able to find the people I'm looking for is another story."

"You could always send someone else from the guild to keep me company, you know."

"That's a good idea. Who would you want me to ask?"

"Whoever you think is best suited for the job." Lucy knew that eliminated all male guild members from his roster. Laxus nodded.

"I'll find Titania and send her as soon as I can." Laxus beckoned for Happy to fly to him. The exceed plopped into his muscular arms. "Listen to me, Lucy; don't let _anyone _in except for Titania. If Lily, Lector, and Frosch all show up at the same time and tell you that they're bleeding to death, _don't let them in._" He paused. "Okay, maybe if they're bleeding to death, but you get the idea." Lucy nodded in acknowledgement. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Until then, please be safe." Laxus kissed the top of Lucy's forehead, whipped the door open, locked the handle, and shut it behind him. Lucy latched the deadbolt, and slumped to the floor in a heap. _How do I even get myself into these situations?_

xxxxx

Natsu was curled up on the couch of his cozy village home. He was sweating profusely, and he could feel the rage that had overtaken him coursing through his veins. His breaths were shallow, and his stomach ached with ire. If it weren't for the fire-retardant cover that Erza had gotten for him at the market as a gift, the sofa would have burst into flames at that very instant.

In addition to the blinding anger, there was one thing, or, rather, person, at the forefront of Natsu's thoughts, and that person was Lucy. He wanted her—no, he _needed_ her—so badly that he was trembling as though he were experiencing a seizure.

"How am I letting a girl do this to me?" He wondered aloud through clenched teeth. "Even if it is Lucy." He ran his hands through his hair and began to tug on his pink strands. "I'm losing my mind over this. Why won't it stop?"

"_You know why it won't stop," _a deep, rumbling inner voice countered. _"You know what you have to do to make this go away."_

"No! I can't do that to her! She isn't mine to claim!" Natsu screamed. He would've sounded insane to anyone else, but he could hear the voice very clearly in his mind.

"_What if she wants you to, Natsu? What if she craves you just as badly as you do her? How would you ever know with Laxus standing in your way?"_

"Laxus," Natsu snarled.

"_That's right, __**he**__ is the reason that any of this is happening," _the voice lied. _"It's because of __**him**__ that you feel this way. It's because of __**him **__that Lucy isn't in your arms right now. What did Laxus ever do to deserve her? __**You're **__the one that's been her friend for years, the one that's been there for her through thick and thin, and all of a sudden, __**he**__ has the nerve to swoop in and steal her away from you? The Natsu I know wouldn't stand for that,"_ it coerced. _"If you let him win, you're spineless. He'll laugh at you every time he's fucking her_—"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Natsu thundered. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

"_You know it's true. You know that if you don't do something, he'll take her away from you for good. He'll leave Fairy Tail and take her with him. You'll never be able to find her again."_ It taunted. "_She'll have his kids and forget that you ever existed." _

Natsu rolled around on the couch writhing in agony. "Stop…please..." he begged in an exasperated voice. Tears welled up in his red eyes, and the salty drops were like thousands of tiny needles pricking his skin as they flowed down his face.

"'_Natsu who?' she'll say."_

"Please…"

"_Take her."_

"I can't…"

"_Take her!"_

"I…"

"_TAKE HER, NATSU, BEFORE SHE LEAVES YOU LIKE IGNEEL DID!"_ The voice boomed throughout his consciousness. Suddenly, the world stopped spinning, and the racing in Natsu's mind ceased; it was like he was bathed in a deafening silence. He shivered fiercely, and he thought his heart was going to burst through his chest.

"No.." he squeaked. "No she can't...she wouldn't…" The voice remained quiet. "Lucy…" Natsu sobbed. He lay there, a typhoon of torment destroying the mental walls he was trying to construct in his mind. He curled up into the fetal position, screaming until he could taste blood in his throat. When he'd decided it was enough and the wailing ceased, the voice returned.

"_But she would, Natsu. If your own father didn't love you enough to stay, what makes you think that she is any different?"_

"Who are you?! Why are you doing this?!" Natsu yelled.

"_You know who I am." _

"No, I don't!"

"_I'm you, Natsu."_

"W...what? That doesn't make any sense! You're not me, I'm me!"

"_I wouldn't lie to you, Natsu." _the voice deceived._ "If I weren't you, how would I know about you and Lisanna playing house when you were kids and hatching Happy from an egg? How would I know about all the things that you and Igneel used to do together when you were a child and all the things he taught you? How would I know about your true feelings for Lucy?" _Natsu's pulse sped up once more.

"I haven't told anyone about my feelings for Lucy, not even Happy," Natsu whispered.

"_That's right, Natsu. You know that I'm only telling you the truth. If you don't take her now, it'll be too late. Laxus will steal her from you. Do you want to spend the rest of your life without her in it?"_ Natsu's stomach churned.

"I couldn't…"

"_You will." _Natsu quivered and tears of blood leaked from his eyes. The idea of a life without Lucy in it shook him to his core. He felt as if he were literally going insane, like his brain was short-circuiting and the rest of his body wasn't far behind. _"Do what you know is right. Do what you must to ensure her safety and her place at your side."_

"I...I have to…" He rose from the couch. He wiped the blood from his face and walked to his front door. He turned the knob and pulled it open.

"I'm sorry Lucy, it's the only way."

He walked outside and shut the door behind him, not caring if it was locked.

xxxxxx 

**Hey all! I think I'm finally starting to overcome my writer's block, so hopefully I'll be able to start posting regularly again! I would like to thank everyone for their patience and continued support; it seems that I haven't stopped gaining followers despite the small break! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**


	24. Chapter 24

**WARNING: SMUT AHEAD (Yay!). Also, I wanted to point out that this may potentially be triggering to victims of mentally/emotionally abusive relationships or sexual assault, so proceed with caution!**

After a short period of weeping, Lucy stood from the floor. She made her way to the couch, sighing as she sat. Mostly, she wondered how she had managed to become part of yet another set of circumstances where she felt like a victim.

As she was sulking, she heard a light, hesitant rapping on her front door, which startled her. _I can't let anyone except Erza in,_ she reminded herself. _But how do I know without opening the door? The way the window faces I can't tell who it is. But if I say anything and it _**_isn't _**_her, then I run the risk of them knowing that I'm here. I don't know what to do._

Her internal monologue was interrupted by a voice.

"Hey, Luce? It's me, open up will ya?" Lucy could hear now that it was Natsu, but something about him sounded off; the tone of his voice was somber, almost as though he'd been crying. "Come on, it's raining and I'm getting all wet. Please, let me come in." A quick peek through the window through the curtains allowed her to confirm that it was, indeed, raining. His words were hollow and frigid, harboring not even the slightest trace of emotion. If Lucy didn't know better, she would've believed that he was being forced to speak against his will. Little did she know, that wasn't far from the truth."I know you're in there, I can smell you. Please, I'm so tired," he begged.

"I'm sorry, Natsu. I can't do that."

"Why?"

"You know why. You aren't supposed to be here. You know that if you're here when Laxus gets back…"

"Yeah, yeah," Natsu replied absentmindedly. She could hear him growling under his breath. "Bastard."

"Natsu, look, I know that this sucks, and believe me when I tell you that I miss you like crazy—"

"You...you do?"

"Of course I do," she cried out, "you're my best friend for Mavis' sake!"

"Then open the door, Luce."

"No. I can't do that. But I promise you that when this is all over—"

"You mean after he seals the deal, right? After," he swallowed the lump forming in his throat, but it didn't stop his voice from cracking as he continued, "after he takes you away from me for good."

"What are you talking about?"

"Open the goddamn door, Lucy. _Now_." Natsu commanded. She couldn't describe it exactly, but even without him being visible, she knew intuitively that something was amiss with him.

"Natsu, please, stop this. You aren't acting like yourself right now." Lucy panicked, trying to reason with him. "Just go home and get some rest."

"You know something?" he asked. "I'm getting _real _tired of you telling me to go away. _I'm _not acting like myself? That's _rich _coming from you right now." he hissed. Tears began streaking Lucy's face as she gasped and covered her mouth.

"Natsu…"

"You know, all of your windows are locked. You must be trying _real _hard to keep me out."

"It isn't just you! Stop taking this so personally!" Lucy shrieked. Her heart was becoming heavier with each word he uttered. Even though she realized that he was trying to toy with her, to use her emotions against her so that she would bend to his will, that fact didn't dull the pain in her chest.

"This isn't personal? How do you expect me to believe you? I don't even know who you are anymore."

"Natsu...stop…"

"I'm going to say this once: move away from the door, Lucy."

"Why?"

"Just do it!" he roared. "Unless you want to get crushed. Don't make me hurt you." _Oh no._

Lucy leaped away just in time for the front door to fly into the wall behind it. She landed on the floor with a soft _thud_, her elbows hitting the ground before the rest of her. They were scraped, but she sustained no major injuries. After the initial assessment of her body, her eyes grew wide as she grasped what had happened. She flipped over onto her back, supporting herself with her abraded joints. The sight before her in that instance was one that would haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life; Natsu stood in her doorway, his arms dangling like a wild ape as he stood hunched over, smiling the most twisted smile she'd ever seen. His face was striped with crimson, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"There you are, Luce." He said in a horrifyingly calm manner. "I found you."

Lucy's heart palpitated, and she was stricken with pure terror. "Natsu, st-stay back," she warned shakily.

"Relax, I just want to talk," he said, still grinning. He reminded Lucy of a smug anime villain who had cornered his opponent, a notion which was further reinforced by him locking the door behind him.

"O-okay, s-s-so t-talk." Lucy was quivering so fiercely that the words barely left her mouth. Natsu lowered himself to the floor, propping himself up on his hands and knees. He crawled toward Lucy as if he were a zombie, languidly and menacingly. She braced herself with her hands and moved backward, trying to prevent him from getting any closer to her.

"Don't run from me. This doesn't have to be any harder than it already is, Luce." He looked up at her, his expression becoming mournful. His statement was enough to paralyze her. _No, he can't...he won't… _Before Lucy could process what was happening, Natsu was in a dominant position, straddling her and forbidding her from escaping.

"I th-thought you w-were gonna talk."

"I am. I just wanted to be sure that you couldn't slip away first. Mavis, it feels like I haven't seen you in forever." He smiled, but his eyes were still sad. "I almost forgot how beautiful you were," said Natsu, brushing Lucy's hair from her eyes. She couldn't deny that if the conditions had been different that she likely would have been flattered.

"Thanks," she replied timidly, flushed.

"It's been so lonely sleeping without you, ya know. It's been driving me crazy." Lucy wasn't sure how to respond. "But I know you don't miss that like I do. You had Laxus to keep you warm." Natsu's hands balled into fists, and a low rumble escaped from his chest. _This isn't like him at all. I didn't know that he was capable of being so terrifying._

"That isn't true, of course, I miss you! I already told you that!" Lucy squeaked.

"I believe you," he acknowledged. "What do you see in him, Lucy? What could he possibly have to offer you?"

"Natsu, he's my mate, it's not like I willed this to happen."

"You were swooning over him before you found out about that." _Well, he's got me there. _"It's not too late to reject him though. You know that, right? You don't owe him anything."

"I know that. But…"

"But?" Natsu raised an eyebrow.

"But I'm not going to reject him."

Natsu's face fell. "You can't be serious, you don't even know the guy!"

"Maybe not yet, but I plan to make the best of this."

"So, that's it then."

"That's it," Lucy affirmed.

Natsu sighed deeply, his shoulders and head dropping in defeat, a shadow casting itself over his sullen face. Lucy could cut the tension in the air with a knife, feeling the molecules of gas in the air trembling as his mood shifted from one of despair to one of unfiltered rage. He balled his fists once more, and the veins in his muscular arms protruded from under his skin. His gaze slowly moved from the floor, and her stomach twisted itself in a knot as his eyes met her own, seeing the fire of hatred burning bright in his irises. "Lucy, I can't let you do this to yourself." he declared through clenched teeth.

"It isn't up t-to you," she began to shake again.

"I can't let you be claimed by someone who doesn't love you, by someone who doesn't deserve someone as wonderful and sweet as you. Do you not remember how he tried to kill me in the Cathedral? How he tried to get us all to kill each other like it was some kind of game? He's evil, Lucy, he's a monster who destroys when he doesn't get his way," he said, ignoring her previous comment. Lucy's heart dropped as all the concerns that Laxus had had about how others in the guild perceived him were addressed and confirmed. At that moment, she felt a profound sadness for him, and she also felt sorry for Natsu for continuing to harbor such ill feelings toward him. "What makes you think that he wouldn't do the same to you if you piss him off?" She gasped inadvertently, a brief, unwarranted scene of Laxus physically hurting her flashing through her mind. She knew that her current fear was unfounded and that Natsu was only planting seeds of doubt in her mind in order to convince her to abandon the notion of being with Laxus, but she was also worried; was this strategy...was it working? _No, he's just trying to mess with me, _she reassured herself.

"He isn't like that anymore! He's changed!" Lucy was sweating profusely.

"Boy, he's got you brainwashed good," Natsu growled. "I'm sorry, Lucy, I should've stepped in to save you when I first suspected this was happening. I should've never let it get this far."

"I'm not helpless! And I don't need saving!" she cried.

"I know that's what you think because he's got his hooks so deep in you. But don't worry, I'm here now, I'll make everything right again."

"Natsu, what're you—" She was cut off by the pressure of Natsu's lips crushing against hers and his hands grasping her wrists and pinning them to the ground. In that instance, an overwhelming surge of contradictory thoughts raced through her mind:

_No, this can't be happening, this isn't real. _

_This isn't Natsu, he would never do this. This has to be an impostor._

_If Laxus hadn't gone to the guildhall, then this wouldn't have happened. He left me alone when he knew this might happen._

_Did I secretly want this to happen?_

_I've always thought of Natsu as my brother. Nothing has changed._

_How do I always end up in messes like this?_

_Natsu is so strong...just look at those muscles..._

_Get off of me! _

_Laxus is going to murder him. Literally. I'm going to lose my best friend for good. _

_Is there a small part of me that likes this? No! Stop thinking like that. But his lips are so soft…_

_I'm so sorry, Natsu. I wish there was more I could say, I wish things were different for your sake._

_I can't give in, no matter how much I want to. Wait, what am I saying?!_

_I can't do this, I can't hurt Laxus like this...I won't reject him. I wish he were here to stop this..._

_I love it when you touch me, Natsu..._

She was conflicted and completely confused. Where was this behavior coming from all of a sudden? She had never known Natsu to have these kinds of feelings for her or anyone for that matter. _Is this real, or is this the hormones talking? _she wondered. One thing she was certain of, however, was that he was on top of her and was kissing her more passionately than she could've ever thought possible coming from him. She was aware that she was in quite the bind, but part of her couldn't help but feel exhilarated by how forceful he was and the fact that he had her restrained. Because of her internal struggle, she did not return his gesture, and it was clear that he was becoming aggravated.

"Kiss me back, dammit," he choked out, pulling away from her. His voice was riddled with grief and blood cascaded from his eyes and flowed down his face.

"Natsu, stop," she pleaded. "You're hurting me." She tried with all her might to pull her hands free, but his grip was solid. "Let go!"

"So, that's how it's gonna be," he whispered regretfully. "I...I thought you loved me."

"I _do _love you!" she exclaimed. He pressed his lips to hers once more, but this time he was more gentle and released his hold on her, cradling her face in his hands. Lucy didn't realize it until that point, but what she wanted more than anything was to yield to his advances, to give in to the intense adoration that she felt for him. She wanted to cave in and kiss him back with just as much emotion as he had her, to wrap her arms around his neck and throw herself into the embrace. But, more than anything, unexpectedly, she wanted him to take her, no, to _claim_ her right then and there. _I have to be going crazy, Natsu is like family to me...so, why am I being hit with these feelings all at once? Feelings that weren't there before? What is he doing to me? _Still confused and benumbed by panic, her lips remained motionless. She jumped as the sound of Natsu's fist hit the solid ground, leaving an impressively deep imprint in the wood and making a loud knocking sound directly next to her ear.

"Come on, Luce. Please, _please_, don't make me do this," Natsu beseeched, his voice frail. He was shaking as the pain of her rejection flooded his entire body. "I don't want to hurt you...Mavis, hurting you is the _last _thing I _ever _want to do, but if I have to to protect you from yourself, then that's what I'll do."

"Natsu, I love you," Lucy repeated, tears leaking from her eyes as well.

"I love you too," he replied. And one final time, he touched his lips to hers and was quite surprised when she retaliated by doing the same. She closed her eyes and gave in to her previously unknown desires, grabbing two huge handfuls of his pink hair and tugging, pulling him as close to her as was physically possible. Without any hesitation, he slipped his tongue in her mouth, and Lucy whimpered as she felt herself suddenly getting wetter from the small yet significant gesture. He was able to detect the abrupt change in her scent, a low moan escaping from his throat as he breathed in the delicious aroma. He pulled away from her, his growing erection prodding Lucy's stomach. Barely anything had happened, and yet he was panting, perhaps from anger, perhaps from being ready to ravage the woman he loved. He looked her dead in the eyes, his own clouded over by lust and a deep desire. In a hushed but dire and husky tone, he said "Lucy, I need you. _Now._"

"Then take me." Before she could finish her sentence, he had hoisted her from the ground and was carrying her upstairs, practically tripping over himself as he did so. It was evident to both of them that all of her hesitations had vanished. _What am I doing? I don't want to do this to Laxus, but at the same time...why does this feel so right? _Lucy's heart was racing in her heaving chest thinking about the betrayal she was about to commit. _How am I supposed to look at him after this? _When Natsu reached Lucy's bedroom door at the top of the stairs, he all but kicked it down and made a swift entrance. He threw Lucy on her bed, and she let out a small gasp as her back hit the mattress. Natsu crawled onto it and positioned himself between her legs, simultaneously removing his vest and scarf, which he discarded on the floor. He leaned his torso over hers so that their faces were close together, and lowered his head just enough so that his lips were but a hair's breadth away from her ear. Lucy could feel the intense warmth radiating from him, the same warmth she craved on the cold evenings where she had to sleep alone. He whispered, "You know that after this, you'll be mine." She nodded and goosebumps covered every square centimeter of her flesh. "And you're sure about this?"

"Yes," she consented, even though, in truth, she had never been more undecided about anything in her life.

A smile crept across his face. "I'm glad it worked out this way." Mewls of pleasure escaped from her as Natsu kissed and nibbled her neck with his sharp canines, leaving small purple bruises to dot her sensitive skin. She loved the pain that accompanied his love bites; in fact, it made her melt like putty in his calloused hands. He propped himself up from her neck and kissed her supple lips again. This time, she was the one to slide her tongue in _his _mouth, and he growled with hunger. Lucy couldn't deny that this animalistic behavior was a serious turn on, and listening to him groan was music to her ears. She wrapped her legs around him instinctively, pulling his groin near the outside of her moistening entrance. Even through her shorts, she was so warm and inviting, and it was maddening to Natsu, who was already riding on the border of insanity. It was as though she was able to sense exactly how close he was to losing control because she used one of her free hands to move ever so slowly down his defined abdomen and grab his bulge, sending him into a frenzy. "Are you trying to make me destroy you?" he inquired rhetorically.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied, acting cute and biting her bottom lip. She was acting innocent with him, and he was eating it up. Lucy could dominate when she pleased, but for the most part, she was submissive, and she was determined to make him play with her.

"Oh, is that right?" He asked. He clutched the wrist of the hand that had ahold of him. "I'm talking about _this_."

"Oh, I guess I got a little excited," she said coyly. "Was that naughty of me?" She pulled her hand away from his crotch. Natsu was still gripping onto her while she removed it, but she pried him off and pulled his fingers apart from the fist he had formed one by one. Once they were separated, she eased his pointer finger into her mouth and sucked on it as leisurely and seductively as she could muster, looking him straight in the eye as she did so. She swirled her tongue around it suggestively, moving his hand back and forth, taking it in her mouth as deep as it would go, and then pulling it almost completely out (but not quite) over and over. Natsu would have never suspected that this side of Lucy existed, but boy was he glad that it did, and that he was lucky enough to be able to witness it. She had barely done anything to him on the physical level, but mentally he so ready to explode that promised in his mind that he would fuck her until she was in a wheelchair. She pulled his finger out of her mouth one final time with a small popping sound, and said, "Was that better?" with a satisfied smile.

"You won't be able to walk when I'm done with you," he declared. In a flash, he had grabbed his scarf from the ground, tied Lucy's wrists tightly above her head, and secured her to the bedpost. Her head spun from how quickly he was able to execute his plan, and once again, she found herself practically powerless to him.

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Baby you better _believe _it's a promise," Natsu hissed. That's when he snapped, and with Lucy's hands out of the way, the task of ripping her clothes to shreds was made much easier. First went her shirt, which was a plain red t-shirt. Crimson fibers fluttered in the air and drifted to the ground as he tore through the fabric like tissue paper. Normally Lucy would become angry at the mere thought of Natsu trashing her belongings, but she was willing to make an exception today. She had chosen to wear a bra that day, a decision which in hindsight seemed logical, but it was one that she was now regretting. _At least he'll have to work a little harder,_ she thought smugly. Coincidentally, this bra happened to be red and black as well. _I know she didn't plan this, but she looks so hot in my favorite colors, _he observed. _I'll have to save this one._ Upon inspection of her generous bosom, he had somehow managed to become even harder, to the point where it started to hurt him. _This is the kind of pain I don't mind. _He wrapped his hands around her to undo her lingerie. She let out a sigh of relief as the tension from the bust support vanished and he tossed the bra aside. He buried his face between her baby soft, ample breasts, and took one in each hand, massaging them and flicking her nipples concurrently. He breathed her in and was tantalized by her natural perfume.

"Natsu," Lucy panted. _Where the hell did he learn to do _**_this_**_? _She wondered. He raised his face from her chest to breathe, and carefully guided his hands down her toned torso, taking the time to trace and appreciate her breathtaking curves. Unable to take it anymore, he seized the button on her shorts and unfastened it, but he was too impatient, and the material was incapable of competing with his building thirst for Lucy's body; the threads of denim ripped until the corpse of her pants glided off and exposed her matching boy-cut underwear. _Dammit Natsu, I loved those shorts. _He placed two fingers on the outside of her panties and rubbed her engorged bud, making her moan loudly. She tried her best to break free from the handcuff knot with which he had shackled her to the bed, but it was no use, and she was actually impressed with the precision he had exhibited in tying it. It was torture for her to be restricted from using her hands, which only made Natsu's ministrations that much more gratifying.

"It's no use trying to escape, you know," he taunted. "I've got you exactly where I want you." He moved the cloth over and slipped the digits inside her slit, listening while she lost her mind and called out his name. She bucked up from the sensation of his fingertips hitting her g-spot, her legs writhing uncontrollably. "That's it, beg for me. I want you to tell me who owns you." Lucy blushed, for just as Natsu didn't know about her submissive nature, she knew not of his dominant and somewhat sadistic side in the bedroom, but she fucking loved every second of this game in which they were engaged.

"Natsu, please, I need it so badly!"

"What do you need, Lucy?"

"I—I need...you!"

"Need me to what?" He loved watching her squirm.

"I—" she choked out. "I need you to fuck me!"

"Alright, but just remember, you asked for it." Natsu removed his fingers and hastily began undoing the clasp on his pants.

Unfortunately, his excitement came to a screeching halt when the blade of a sword was pressed to his throat and a serious voice spoke. "That's enough, Natsu. Don't move."

**xxxxxx**

**Who could be threatening Natsu (and in the middle of sex, no less)? Stay tuned!**

****Okay, it has become abundantly clear to me that I am no longer in control of this story, and I never imagined anything going this way, but here we are! I hope you all like this little piece of NaLu that I slipped into this weird love triangle that didn't exist until the day before yesterday! Or...is it a love triangle...? I hope you all enjoyed the longest chapter that I've written so far! Thank you for your support with the favorites, follows, and reviews!**

***Side note: To those of you that have expressed/will express your concern, I promise I have a plan and an explanation prepared for the strange twist of events! THIS STORY *WILL NOT*, I repeat *WILL NOT* TURN INTO NALU, I promise! It's just a gear in the clock. Don't give up on me, please. Give me some time to show you what I've done.**


	25. Chapter 25

Laxus hated the idea of leaving Lucy alone for any amount of time right now, but he knew that if he wished to obtain any information about Natsu and his mating status that he would have to visit the guildhall and speak with his guildmates, the ones who tended to hang around him. _I'll be in and out. I won't leave her there unprotected. I just hope that I can find Titania._

"Are you ready?" The lightning mage asked Happy.

"Aye, sir!" The exceed confirmed.

Laxus cradled him like a baby. "Okay, hang on, this'll be rough." Within milliseconds, the two had traveled from the outside of Lucy's apartment to the entrance of the guildhall.

Happy held his paw over his mouth, his face turning green and his eyes rolling back in his head. He swallowed and let out a giant breath. "Whew," he exhaled. "That was terrible. Now I know how Natsu feels when he rides in a vehicle."

"I warned you," Laxus chuckled. "I'm used to the speed of my movements, so teleporting like that doesn't bother me anymore."

"I never even knew you could do that," said Happy curiously.

"Come on, let's find Mira. We have to hurry." Laxus placed Happy on the ground so that the two of them could walk side by side. He opened the guildhall doors and looked around; it was buzzing, and almost everyone who wasn't on a job at the moment was there. Mira looked busy, and he hated to bother her, but he didn't have much of a choice. The couple approached the bar, and Mira's face lit up when she caught a glimpse of them.

"Hey guys!" she greeted them.

"Hey, Mira. Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure!" Mira beckoned for Kinana, delegating bar duty to her so that she could sneak away for a few minutes.

"Let's go somewhere more private." Laxus insisted. Mira had no intention of arguing with him, so she nodded and followed the two up the stairs and into the main office. Laxus shut the door when they all entered the room, hoping to keep their conversation as secluded as possible.

"So, Laxus, what can I do for you?" asked Mira cheerfully.

"A couple of things, actually. First, I need you to keep an eye on Happy." His eyes shot over to the cat in an almost protective way.

"Okay, I can do that! But where's Natsu?"

The sound of his name still angered Laxus, but because it wasn't coming from Lucy's mouth, the utterance was much more manageable. "I honestly don't know. All I know is that he's gotten out of control, and he can't be trusted with his cat right now." Happy's eyes fell to the floor; what Laxus was saying was candid, but it broke Happy's little heart to hear it aloud.

"It's true, Mira. He cussed at me and everything." Happy held back tears at the thought and crawled into her lap for comfort. She stroked the cat's fur sympathetically.

"That's not like him at all. Any idea what's going on?" she inquired.

"It's a long story. Happy can fill you in after I leave." _I'm not trying to be rude, Mira, but I need to make this quick._ She nodded.

"Second, I need you to give me some information, if you have it."

"I'll do what I can," she agreed. Laxus gave her a skeleton outline of what was going on, foregoing any gory details and sticking to the basics.

"So basically, I need you to tell me if Salamander has been acting weirder than normal lately, or if he has told you anything that might be of any concern to me."

"Hmm," Mira thought. "Not that I can recall. I mean, he's always protective of Lucy, that's just the way he is. I noticed that recently he's kind of been acting like a jerk when you and Lucy are together though, at least now I know why."

"And you're sure that's all you've noticed?"

"Yep! Nothing out of the ordinary."

"I guess I've just been hypervigilant in my observation then. Thanks, Mira. I know I can always count on you," Laxus smiled. It was true that he and Mira had a special relationship; aside from the Thunder Legion (and now Lucy), Laxus trusted her more than anyone else, likely because she had been one of the only people to befriend Laxus back when he still behaved like a steaming pile of shit. However, she watched Laxus grow over the years into the man that he was today, and in her heart, she smiled because she couldn't be more proud of the transformation he had undergone. _Given the time, everyone will warm up to him and love him as I've come to,_ she often thought to herself when he made appearances in the guildhall.

"I'm glad you feel that way," she beamed at him.

"There's one more thing I need to ask of you."

"Yes?"

"Do you happen to know where Titania, Gray, and Wendy are at the moment?" Previously he had intended to have a conversation with Gajeel as well, but considering their last encounter, he didn't know if that would be the best idea.

"Well, it's been a little while, but about three hours ago, I heard her say that her, Gray, and Lily would be going to the market today. You know how she is with her shopping, so it's possible that they could still be there." _Two birds with one stone_, Laxus thought contentedly.

"Any idea what she was going to get so I have an idea of where to go?"

"Nope, not a clue. As for Wendy, I think she'll be working in the infirmary all day, so you should be able to find her here."

"Thanks for everything," he said.

"Any time! I'd better get back to the bar. Happy, would you like to help me serve food and drinks for a little while?"

"Aye, sir!" He leaped out of Mira's lap and spread his wings, zooming around the room. _Good to see the little guy is feeling better_, she grinned.

"Then let's go!" she opened the office door and left it that way. Happy flew out to accompany her.

_Okay, I have work to do._ Laxus stood from his chair. He descended the stairs back into the main part of the hall. He was walking quickly and with purpose, but unfortunately, there was also a lot weighing on his mind, so he didn't notice that he had even run into someone until he heard the thud of their ass hitting the wood floor.

"Ouch!" she yelled.

"Sorry—" he cut himself off and his muscles tensed. _Fuck, it's her._

Levy stood from the ground and dusted off her orange dress. "It's okay, just be more careful next time." _Why can't I seem to avoid the two of them?!_ Laxus yelled in his mind.

"Uh, I didn't mean to knock you down," he said. _Fucking idiot, what does that even mean?_

"I didn't figure," she giggled. He'd been holding his breath for the last minute, but he couldn't anymore. He inhaled sharply and… "Do I smell or something?" Levy asked, noticing that he was sniffing the air and tightening her arms to hide her pits in embarrassment.

"No. No, you don't. Not at all. I can't smell you any more than I can smell anyone else," he said incredulously, his voice softening. _But that means..._

"Thank...you…?" she said.

"Believe me, it's a good thing." Seemingly out of nowhere, Gajeel appeared and put his arm around her, wearing the largest, most pompous, and dumbest smile that Laxus had ever seen on him. In fact, it looked so out of place that it was almost like he was wearing a mask.

"Hey, thunder thighs! Be a little more careful of where you're walking next time, huh?" Laxus couldn't tell if he was mad or just joking, but either way, it was strange.

"Sorry," he laughed. _You smug bastard._

"Come on Shrimp, we're leaving." Gajeel picked her up and heaved her over his shoulder, giving her no say or time to react.

"Gajeel! Put me down, you ape!" She pounded on his back with all her might, but to him, it felt like he was being smacked by a toddler.

"Nope," he responded, and the two disappeared out the front door.

_So, you finally claimed her. Good for you, metalhead,_ Laxus approved with a smile. Seeing the two of them together made him miss Lucy more than he would've liked to admit. _I just need to finish up here and at the market, then I can rush home to her._ And with that thought, he ventured to the infirmary to speak to Wendy.

Once he arrived, he knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Wendy chimed. He pushed it open to see the smiling Sky Dragon Slayer playing cards with Carla. "Oh, Laxus! I didn't expect to see you here!"

"Hey, Wendy. Are you busy?"

"If you consider playing a heated game of Menko to be busy, then yes! But otherwise, nope!" She joked. "Can I help you with something?"

"Actually, yes. Could I speak to you alone?" His eyes flashed to the white exceed.

"Fine by me. I'll be out in the hallway if you need me, child." She exited the room, leaving the two dragon slayers alone to chat.

"What did you need to talk about?"

"It's about Salamander," he prefaced. Luckily, because Wendy was also a dragon slayer, one that had been raised by a dragon, no less, he didn't need to explain the situation to her like he had Mira.

"What about him?"

"This is...kind of difficult for me to talk about. Has he…" Laxus took a deep breath. "Has he said anything to you or anyone else about Lucy...about Lucy potentially being his mate? If anyone would know, I would think it would be you or Gajeel."

Wendy put a finger to her chin and took a few moments to contemplate his question.

"No, I don't think so, at least not that I can remember."

"Has he been acting different around her, more protective than usual? You spend more time with him than I do."

"I don't think so. The two of them are just really close and he cares about her a lot, but not in that way, I don't think."

"So you haven't noticed any changes in his hormones or anything like that?"

"The only thing I can think of that might be relevant is that he gets more aggressive when you two are in the same place at the same time, at least for the last several days, but that's about it. I've been at the guildhall for most of the week, so I know who has been here and when, and that's the only thing that comes to mind."

"Thanks for your help," Laxus uttered.

"No problem! Oh, and Laxus?"

"Yeah?"

"Lucy is one of my best friends, and she's really special; she's always going out of her way to help anyone and everyone that she can, and she has such a big heart. Can you promise me that you'll take good care of her?"

"I promise," he assured her, tracing an x over his heart with his finger. "See ya." After his final words to Wendy, he left the infirmary, and he was on his way to the market.

_***At the market***_

"Yeah, I know who you're talking about!" the jewelry peddler replied to Laxus. "I couldn't forget _that_ hair if I tried!"

"Do you happen to know where she went?"

"Actually, she was just here a couple of minutes ago. I think she went that way." The man pointed to his left toward a cluster of clothing stalls.

"Were there a man and a cat with her?"

"I think so, but there are a lot of people who come through here, so don't quote me on that." As the man spoke, a glimmer of something sparkling in the sun caught Laxus' eye. He smirked as he got a closer look at what it was; ironically, it was a silver necklace with a little dragon charm. The dragon was was erect, almost standing on its hind legs with its tail coiled underneath of them and its wings spread. "Are you interested?"

"Come again?" Laxus said absentmindedly.

"The dragon necklace, are you interested in buying it?"

"How much are you asking?"

"Eighty-thousand jewel." _That's pretty steep for a piece of metal._

"I'll take it." Laxus handed over the money, and the salesman handed him the necklace in return. He stuffed the piece of jewelry as deeply in his pocket as he could. "Thanks," he mumbled, turning and walking in the direction the man had suggested.

"Have a good day sir, come again!" The man yelled after him.

Laxus hated coming to the market. For one, it was in the middle of town, which was entirely out of his way. For two, it was always crowded, which meant bountiful opportunity for social interaction, something that he loathed outside of the guildhall. It was especially populous today, it seemed, which irritated him thoroughly. _Drastic times call for drastic measures and whatnot,_ he mumbled in his mind. _I just have to find them and get out of here._ He thrust his hands in his pockets, fiddling with the necklace that had made a home in the right one for now. He grinned to himself thinking about Lucy's reaction when he gave it to her. She would likely be mad at him for spending so much on her, but at the same time flattered that he would even think about her in the first place. _I guess I don't have to tell her how much it cost._

Even in the midst of a place teeming with small annoyances, an unforeseen wave of peace washed over him, and he smiled as he realized what the signal from his body was telling him._ Lucy must've fallen asleep. I'm glad that she's able to through all of this. Rest easy, beautiful. I'll be back before you know it._

**xxxxxx**

****Hopefully, this chapter provided some insight (and a period of mental rest) for you all after the controversial last one that I ****posted. Thanks for all your suggestions, feedback, and love as always! And a special shout out to those of you that actually read the author's note at the end of the last chapter and had faith in me/listened to what I had to say instead of jumping to conclusions! You guys rock!**


	26. Chapter 26

**WARNING: There maybe potential triggers for victims of sexual assault and/or victims of mentally/emotionally abusive relationships. Also, this chapter contains some victim-blaming.**

"Don't move," repeated Erza. Natsu's hands rose slowly in defeat.

"Come on Erza, why'd you have to ruin our fun?" he kidded.

"You know exactly why. She's not yours, Natsu, and you have no right to claim her."

"What're you talking about? She told me that she wanted it, didn't ya hear her?" Erza pushed the blade of her sword in even closer to his neck. "How long have you been watching, anyway? You could've joined us, you know," he jeered.

"Don't test me. I'm not exactly in a playing kind of mood right now. Laxus sent me here because he suspected that something like this might happen."

"Well he's just so smart, isn't he?" Natsu snarled.

"And as for you," she glared at Lucy. "_You_ should've known better than this. Laxus will be crushed when he finds out what you've done. You should be _ashamed_ of yourself," Erza spat. She wanted to be upset that Erza was talking down to her like this, but she didn't bother; she was 100% aware that she deserved whatever came to her. _I just wish that I knew why I changed my mind about everything all of a sudden. Regardless, I was too weak to oppose him anymore. She's right, I __**should **__be embarrassed._

"I'm sorry, Erza." Lucy sniffled and the waterworks were beginning yet again.

"I'm not the one to whom you need to apologize," she said unforgivingly. "Now I'm going to remove my sword from your throat, and I expect you to step away from Lucy. And put your clothes back on for Mavis' sake, or I'm going to start calling you Gray."

"Alright, alright," Natsu conceded. "And to think, I almost got away with it." He refastened his pants, stepped onto the floor, and stretched his hand out palm down, allowing his vest to float up to him so that he could grab it and drape it over his midsection once more. "What now, your highness?"

"You can retrieve your scarf, but if you even so much as _think _about touching her inappropriately again…" It was unnecessary for her to finish her sentence, as the implication was crystal clear. Natsu walked to the section of the bed where Lucy was tied and freed her wrists from their bondage. She let out a sigh of reprieve as the strain disappeared. "I think Igneel would be _sorely_ disappointed at the purpose for which you've chosen to use his gift."

"Whatever you say," Natsu rolled his eyes.

"Natsu, stop being so rude to her," Lucy objected.

"_You're _giving _me _orders? That's funny, because as I remember it, a few minutes ago it was the opposite," he grinned wickedly. Her stomach contorted at his attitude. _He's acting like such a jackass, what's wrong with him?_

"That's enough," Erza threatened.

"What, so I can't talk to her now either?"

"It's probably best that you just keep your mouth shut altogether," she cautioned through narrowed eyes. She turned her icy stare back to Lucy. "Get dressed, traitor." _Traitor? That's kind of harsh, even for Erza._ Lucy nodded and stood from the bed. _Well shit, Natsu annihilated the clothes I was wearing. _She grabbed another t-shirt from her closet and another pair of denim shorts from the dresser and clothed herself in the apparel.

"I liked the other shorts better," Lucy grumbled under her breath. The comment was low enough to escape Erza's realm of hearing, but not Natsu's; he sneered at it.

"Is something funny?" Erza snapped.

"Nope," Natsu replied, putting his hands behind his head.

"Good. We're going downstairs. _Now,_" she commanded. "You first, Natsu, get moving." She pricked his back with the tip of her blade to show him that she was serious.

"Ouch!" he jumped. "Okay, okay, I'm goin'!" He walked out the bedroom door with her close behind him.

"Lucy, wait here. I'll be back up for you shortly." Lucy nodded and watching as Natsu was herded out of her room like a stray bull. She heard the clopping of feet on the stairs, and when it stopped, she sat on the bed and hung her head, burying her face in her hands. _What have I done? Laxus will never forgive me for this. I'll never forgive myself for this._

Her self-pity session was broken by the sound of an ear-shattering scream. Lucy ran to the edge of the railing to examine the scene.

"Erza, how could you?" Natsu had fallen to his knees and was grasping the hilt of the sword that had impaled him while blood coated his hands and the floor.

"I told you not to play with me! This is what you get!" Erza cackled. Lucy's hand rushed to her mouth in horror, stifling the shriek that had begun to build in her throat.

"Natsu…" Lucy croaked. Erza's head whipped around to meet her mortified gaze.

"I had to do it, Lucy, he was trying to kill me! He told me he was going to get rid of me so that he could go back upstairs and finish what he started with you!" Lucy shivered.

"That's n—not tr—" Natsu collapsed on the ground, silent.

"Natsu, no!" Lucy bolted down the stairs, which had turned a sickly shade of green since the last time she used them. She rushed to his side, pressing two fingers against his neck to check his heartbeat. "Erza, we have to get Wendy over here! He doesn't have a pulse!" she cried.

"This is your fault, you know."

"W—what?" Lucy stuttered.

"If you would've been competent enough to keep your legs shut, I wouldn't have had to kill him!" Erza yelled. Lucy was stunned, unsure of how to respond. She was frozen in panic. She wanted to run, to retrieve Wendy so that she could heal her best friend, but her legs felt like they were glued to the floor and she was physically incapable of movement. He was gone, a corpse in her arms.

"You're right," Lucy said, her head falling and a shadow casting itself over her face. "This is my fault. I should've been stronger. I'm so sorry, Natsu."

"What's going on here?" Laxus asked, appearing in the doorway wearing no shirt and no shoes.

"She did exactly what you thought she would. She gave in to his advances like the weak little bimbo that she is," responded Erza.

"Is that so? Huh."

"Laxus, I'm so sorry. I have no idea what happened. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I promise that if you give me another chance, nothing like this will ever happen again. Please, I'm begging you, let me make this up to you," Lucy pleaded on her knees with her hands clasped in one another.

Laxus stood speechless for a few minutes, but when he came around, he joined Lucy on the ground and smiled at her. "Okay," he said simply.

"Okay?"

"I forgive you."

"You—you do?"

"I do," he assured her. She exhaled and returned his facial expression. "And you're right, nothing like this will ever happen again." Laxus clasped his massive hand around Lucy's throat, rising from the floor and bringing her with him like she were a paper doll. He squeezed and Lucy struggled for air and her feet flailed around aimlessly trying to locate some footing, but it was no use; Laxus held her at least sixty centimeters off the ground.

"Laxus—pl—please," she managed through her mostly-blocked airway. She hit his hand in an attempt to break his grip, which was a moot point, to say the least.

"You lying bitch," he glowered at her. Her face began to turn blue, and her vision was quickly fading.

"Lax—us—" she breathed. _This is it. This is how I go. _Even though she was barely conscious, she could hear Erza in her witch's hat chanting in the background:

"Bye-bye, Lucy! Bye-bye, Lucy!" _Goodbye, Erza._

"_Lucy."_

"_Lucy."_

"_Lucy?"_

"_Lucy!"_

"Lucy!" Erza yelled.

"NOOOOO!" Lucy sat up and screeched at the top of her lungs. She awakened in such hysteria that she was fighting for breath and both her clothing and the couch were soaked clear through with sweat.

"Calm down, you're safe. Whatever happened, it was just a dream," Erza reassured her with a heartwarming look. The hair on Lucy's head was sticking up in every direction, the vast majority of it adhering to her clammy skin.

"You mean Laxus _isn't _trying to murder me?" she panted.

"No?"

"That's a relief," Lucy exhaled.

"You must've been having an intense nightmare."

"You don't know the half of it."

"Laxus sent me here to keep watch over you for a little while. I know he's talking to Gray right now, and he said that we needed to talk as well when he got back. He shouldn't be much longer."

The idea of Laxus coming home to her made her heart light up. That all that turmoil had been but a cruel dream was a colossal assuagement. _I knew I wasn't that weak, that something was wrong with the entire scenario, and that those feelings weren't real. _

"So, he was trying to kill you, huh?" Erza smirked. "And why would that be?"

"Well, it's kind of a long and embarrassing explanation," Lucy flushed.

"It's okay, you can tell me about it when you're ready," Erza giggled. She requipped from her usual armor into a more comfortable pair of silk pajamas.

"It's a little early for pajamas, isn't it?"

Erza's brow furrowed. "It's never too early for comfort." The two women burst out laughing at the ludicrous statement, and they spent the next half hour admiring the outfits and other various trinkets that Erza had purchased on her shopping trip.

"These are all awesome, Erza! This must've cost you a fortune!"

"Well, they weren't cheap, but I have to keep my wardrobe up-to-date." Lucy was enjoying the conversation they were having as well as the company of her fellow teammate, but she was still uneasy from the (subjective) realism of her dream. She focused her gaze on a faraway place, reliving the horror of her delusion.

"Hey, are you okay?" Erza asked. "You've been staring off into the distance for a bit now. Is there something on your mind?"

"Actually, yeah, there is," Lucy confessed. "I...I need to tell you about my dream."

"Go ahead."

"But if I do, you have to promise that you won't tell Laxus. I'd prefer to tell him myself, but only when I feel like I'm ready." Erza nodded sympathetically.

And with that, Lucy began to recount her tale:

"I know it was just a dream, but it all felt so disturbingly real to me. After what Laxus told me, I wouldn't be surprised if something like this happened in real life. Okay, maybe not exactly, but certain parts. I was sitting on the couch, waiting for you to get here, when who shows up at my front door but Natsu? I guess I should've suspected that it was a dream when he knocked on the front door," she chuckled. "Anyway, he begged me to let him in for a while and ended up busting it open when I wouldn't. He looked so...sinister. He was smiling at me, but not in his normal goofy way; in a creepy and menacing way. He looked almost like a...I don't know how to describe it, and he was crying blood for some reason. He just kept talking about claiming me for himself, and how Laxus didn't deserve me and he was a monster. After he locked the door, he crawled over to me and pinned me to the floor, and he kept trying to kiss me. It was weird; it was like the more he touched me, the more I ached to surrender to him. All of a sudden, I had these feelings for him that I never had before. It's like I...I _wanted_ him, but I didn't know why. And then, I did the worst possible thing that I could have in that situation."

"Which was?"

"I submitted. I was too weak and I couldn't resist him anymore. I didn't want to. So I—" Her chest was heavy with her imaginary treachery. "I told him to take me. I threw the feelings that I had for Laxus out the window and let Natsu carry me upstairs to do what he pleased. I let him tie me up and rip my clothes off, and sadly, I was enjoying it. That is until you showed up."

"What did I try to join you or something?" she asked. Lucy laughed heartily. _She's so freaky!_

"No, it wasn't like that at all! You stopped us from...going all the way. You told me I was a traitor, then you killed Natsu and laughed about it. I tried to help him, but you told me that it was my fault that he was dead because I was such a slut. I paraphrased that part a little because I don't recall your exact words, but that was the gist of it. Then Laxus showed up half-naked for whatever reason, and you ratted me out to him. He was so mad that he strangled me, and that's when I woke up." Erza's face was thunderstruck at the nightmare's progression. It took her several moments to formulate a response.

"I guess I should apologize for my dream-self's behavior, that doesn't sound like me at all. I can see why you would be so upset about that; it sounds to me like Natsu manipulated you into having sex with him, which doesn't make it your fault."

"That's what happened. I just remember feeling so helpless, so conflicted, until I was no longer in control of the situation. He just wasn't himself at all; the way he talked, the way he acted toward me and toward you...it was terrifying."

Erza pulled her friend into a tight hug, stroking her soft blonde hair.

"There's no need to worry. You can't control your dreams. You're safe with me. And I'm sure Laxus will understand when you decide to tell him about this. The way I see it, and I only possess a fraction of the situation's knowledge because Laxus asked me to get here as quickly as possible, but right now, you're torn between two people that you love, and your brain doesn't know how to react, so it's manifesting the discord in the form of dreams. Is this the only nightmare like this that you've had?"

"Actually, no. I had one where everyone in the guild was fighting and the guildhall was in ruins. Laxus and Natsu turned into dragons and attacked each other, and a lot of our friends ended up getting killed over it. And once again, it was all my fault. I'm just afraid that I really will end up losing one (or both) of them in one form or another."

"Listen to me, Lucy, regardless of what happens in the future, nothing is your fault. You didn't ask for any of this; it's just how the cards were dealt."

"Funny, Laxus tried to tell me the same thing not that long ago," Lucy smiled cheerlessly.

"Maybe if two different people are trying to tell you the same thing, then there's some truth behind it," Erza pointed out.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Lucy agreed. Before the women had any more time to discuss the matter, there was a knock on the front door.

"Titania? Are you here?" Laxus asked.

"Yes, I'm here." Erza sprang up from the couch and strolled to the door. She flipped the deadbolt switch and the lock on the door handle and opened it to allow Laxus entry. He came inside and promptly shut the door, removing his shoes. Within mere seconds of his arrival, Lucy attacked him with a hug comparable to that of a vice grip. He chuckled as he returned her affection. _I missed you too, Blondie_.

"I take it nothing eventful happened while I was gone."

"Nothing of importance, no," affirmed Erza. "Everything was in its proper place when I arrived. I did have to let myself in with your key, however; Lucy was fast asleep on the couch." _I figured, _he thought to himself.

"Thanks for your help, Titania. Now, we have some things we need to discuss." Erza nodded and sat on the loveseat that was diagonally across from the couch, while Lucy and Laxus took their seat on the couch itself.

**xxxxxx**

**What could've caused Lucy to have such a painfully real dream? What will happen when she decides to tell Laxus about it? Stay tuned!**

****Hey, everyone! Hopefully this is the resolution you all were looking for, which was my plan all along! Haha, gotcha! ;) I promised you all that this would not turn into NaLu; we are here for LaLu and that's that! A big thank you to the follower(s) that I lost because of Chapter 24 for sticking with me as long as you did, because your support meant the world while I had it! And an even bigger thank you to those who stuck around, and the new followers that have decided to join us on this fucked up roller coaster ride! You guys are the bomb, and thank you for your continued backing! You are the reason I wake up in the morning and continue to write! Much love!**


	27. Chapter 27

**This is kind of a weird warning, but I take phobias very seriously, so this is a trigger warning to anyone with intense arachnophobia. **

Laxus and Lucy both took the time to explain the situation in which they found themselves to Erza, this time not bothering to spare some of the raunchy details. Mostly this was Lucy's doing; not only were they not constrained by time like before when Lucy was left to her own devices, but seeing that Erza was one of her close friends, the likelihood that Lucy would have relayed this information sooner or later anyway was high. She could've waited until they had the chance to speak privately, but Lucy couldn't pass up the opportunity to admire just how adorable Laxus was when embarrassed. _I never would have pegged him as one to have a sensitive side_, reflected Erza. _I guess I'm learning quite a bit today._

"And I think that about covers it," wrapped up Lucy.

"Wow, I had no idea," said Erza with a bewildered expression. "You two, ending up mates? Seems pretty perfect if you ask me." Lucy shot her a quick glare and gestured for her to stop talking by sweeping her hand back and forth next to her neck.

"What exactly are you implying, Titania?" Laxus raised a confused eyebrow. _Great, _thought Lucy.

"I'm not _implying _anything; I'm _admitting _that Lucy had a huge crush on you before any of this started." Lucy's face turned a ripe shade of scarlet at her friend's confession. _On My HoNoR aS a FaIrY tAiL wIzArD, _Lucy mocked.

"Is that so?" He turned his head to smirk at Lucy, who was now facing the opposite direction.

"Yes, it's true. After we all finished reading her written piece, we had a meeting—"

"Erza, stop," Lucy pleaded, hiding her face.

"No, please, continue," Laxus coaxed, resting his elbows on his knees and his head on his hands. A wicked smile spread across his face. _I'm dying to hear this. _"Who exactly is '_we_'?

"Lucy, Levy, Cana, and myself. Wait, you know to the piece it is that I'm referring, don't you?"

"Oh yes, I'm _quite _familiar." Laxus was eating this conversation up, remembering the exchange in the guildhall main office. _Payback time for tormenting me earlier, Blondie_.

"Anyway, we had a meeting to discuss some—'concerns'—that we had about the ordeal."

"Concerns?"

"Yes; to be frank, we were worried that if anything romantic ever occurred between the two of you, Lucy would end up being emotionally wounded."

"Erza, stop talking, you're making this so much worse," Lucy muttered, practically shoving her face down in the couch cushions to conceal her humiliation.

"Oh?" Laxus inquired.

"Laxus, I know that you have a notorious history of being a philanderer, everyone does. We tried to talk Lucy out of the idea that the two of you would ever become an item, for her well-being." _How many feet can she fit in her mouth at once?!_

"Understandable, I guess."

"We were only speaking to her from a place of honesty, as friends should do for one another."

"So, you don't think I'm any good for her, is that what you're saying?" _Mavis, please strike me down right now, and put me out of my misery_, thought Lucy.

"Allow me to finish," Erza requested. "However, after seeing you two interact and the lengths that you're willing to go to to make sure that Lucy's safety is a priority," she smiled, "I now realize that I came to a premature conclusion. I'm sorry, Laxus, I misjudged you. I was wrong."

Lucy's head emerged from the cushions and a look of awe adorned her face. "Erza…"

"Look, I get why you felt that way. I do. But this...this is different. This is important to me," Laxus explained, taking one of Lucy's hands in his own. "This isn't just some fling, Titania; Lucy is my mate, and by definition, that means she's my forever. I know what I've been like in the past, but I've changed. I've grown, and I intend to honor what destiny has laid out for us." Erza was stunned at Laxus' apparent capacity for devotion. _I certainly didn't see this coming. _"I'm not asking for your permission to do anything, but I also understand the relationship that you two have, and I respect that." Lucy stared at him with wide eyes. _I know you say you've changed, but I just don't think you've grasped how much._

"That's thoughtful of you, Laxus. Thank you." Erza stood and stretched, expelling the discomfort she felt for sitting in the same place for too long from her body. In the blink of an eye, she requipped yet again from her pajamas into her usual armored attire. "Well, I'll be leaving now."

"Thanks again," Laxus acknowledged.

"I'm glad I could be of service."

"Hey, Erza?" Lucy caught her attention.

"Yes?"

"Could you do one more favor for me?"

"What is it?"

"I was wondering if maybe—" Lucy bit her bottom lip, simultaneously worrying about her best friend and fearing her nightmare at the same time. "You could stop by Natsu's house and check on him? I would do it myself, but...well, you know."

Erza nodded. "I'll stop by and see how he's doing, sure."

"Thank you so much, it'd mean the world to me," Lucy grinned.

"If either of you needs me again, I'll be around. I'll refrain from taking any out-of-town jobs, at least for the next few days." And with that, Erza exited the apartment and shut the door behind her. Laxus exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Everything okay?" Lucy wondered.

"Yeah, it's just that...never mind." He turned his head away from her.

"What is it? You can tell me," Lucy assured him.

"You know, I hate to accept it…"

"What?"

"What I tell you doesn't leave this room." Lucy nodded, and his cheeks began to redden. "I'm one of the strongest members of the guild and she still scares the shit outta me." Lucy erupted into laughter at this declaration. "What's so funny?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"I guess that just caught me off guard," she giggled. "I didn't think _you _were scared of anything."

"That's far from the truth, Blondie. Just because I don't show it doesn't mean I don't feel fear." _Laxus, afraid? I never thought the two words were compatible in the same sentence. _

"So what scares you?" she asked, somewhat surprised by the brusqueness of the question as it escaped her lips.

"More than you would think."

"Like?"

"Well, Titania for one."

"I already knew that one," Lucy rolled her eyes. _I forget sometimes that he still has those mental walls up. I can't be too hard on him. _"Spiders."

"What?"

"Spiders. I'm afraid of spiders. When I was little, I was drinking a glass of water. I walked away from it for a few minutes to use the bathroom. I came back, picked it up, and took a drink without looking. I went to swallow, and I felt it crawling in the back of my throat. When it finally did come up I spit it out on the kitchen table. The little bastard crawled away like nothing had happened, but I was more or less traumatized. Now, every time I see a spider, or even a bug, my throat starts tingling and I panic."

"Damn," he remarked. "I had no idea."

"That's because you've never seen me around a spider." she pointed out.

"Fair enough. What else?" She was shocked that the interrogation had turned on her. _Maybe if I tell him about my worst fears, I can get him to open up about his._

"Clowns are terrifying. I can't be alone in the dark. Oh, and being in crowds of people I don't know makes me want to puke."

"Pretty simple," Laxus half-smiled. "But something tells me there's more."

"Well..." her head fell. "You're not wrong. I've never really told anyone before, but my biggest fear is that one day...everyone in my life will abandon me. They'll just up and leave without saying a word." She clenched both her hands into fists while her eyes filled with tears thinking about how painful it would be to lose the best friends she'd ever made. "I've already lost my mom and my dad, so what's to stop fate from taking everyone else too?"

"I can see how you would think that," Laxus recognized, staring straight in front of him. "But the odds of that happening are almost none."

"Logically I know that, but it's just this feeling that I have in my heart. And the closer I get to the people I love, the more scared I become. Every day I wake up fearing that ultimately, I'll end up alone."

Laxus placed a finger under Lucy's chin and positioned her head so that she was looking straight into his eyes. They were uncharacteristically soft at the moment, twinkling even. "We all know that there are no guarantees in life, that's a given. However, I _can _promise you that when all is said and done, you wouldn't be able to get rid of me even if you wanted to," he smiled warmly. "You're going to be stuck with me."  
Lucy placed her palm on the side of his face and stroked his cheek lovingly with her thumb. _I know this is his way of telling me that he's not going to leave me._

"Now, I suppose it's only fair that I tell you what I'm about to tell you," he dropped his hand and drew in a deep breath, looking dead ahead once more.

"I don't usually talk about this kind of stuff with anybody, so just bear with me." Lucy nodded. "There isn't a lot that scares me, but as I said, it's probably more than you think. I'm not afraid of spiders or anything like that," he gave a half-hearted grin, "it's more like...like I live my life in constant anxiety that Gramps is gonna die on me. He's the only real father figure I've ever had, and probably the only reason I'm still alive, to be honest. Even when he kicked me out of the guild, I worried every day that something would happen to him. Does he piss me off sometimes? Sure. Do I agree with every decision he makes? No. But do I love that old geezer unconditionally? Absolutely."

"Laxus, there's no shame in stressing about the welfare of your family; that's what you're supposed to do. It just means that you love them."

"Yeah, I guess. I just wish that sometimes I could take a break from it, ya know? Like for one day, I wish I could enjoy myself without the thought constantly lingering in the back of my mind."

"Believe me, I get it," Lucy agreed. She wanted to tell him that she could empathize with him because the way he felt about Makarov was the way she felt about Natsu, but she decided it would be best to withhold that information for the time being.

"And now, I have the same fear about you; that I'll lose you for one reason or another. Maybe you'll fall ill, maybe you'll love someone else more, or maybe…" he swallowed. "Maybe, something will happen while you're on a mission. What am I supposed to do without you now that I've found you? The thought alone just makes me want to—" Lucy cut his thought short by pressing her lips tenderly to his. She pulled away after a few seconds and graced his presence with a smile so bright that it would have melted the socks off the devil.

"I'm glad that you care enough about me to feel that way, but I'm not going anywhere either. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm pretty stubborn, and even harder to get rid of, so if you think I'm going to leave you behind for someone else or that I would even _think _of dying when I know that I have you to look forward to for the rest of my life, well then you still have a lot to learn about me." _How could one person, this one woman who is wise beyond her years, make me feel such profound love and warmth after a mere couple of days? How can she be this perfect? _Laxus thought. He already admired her more than he ever thought possible and simultaneously felt like a moron for ever denying that she was the one with which he was destined to have his fate forever intertwined.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" he jumped. He thrust his hand into his right pocket, solaced when he recognized that what he was looking for was still there. "Turn around and close your eyes."

"Why?" Lucy inquired.

"Trust me, Blondie. Just do it." Lucy obeyed without further interrogation, turning to face away from him and sliding her knees up under herself so that she was sitting on her legs. Laxus pulled the necklace from his pocket and unclasped the small hook at the end of the chain, which was difficult with his large fingers, but he managed. He held the chain in front of him so that it was almost taught from end to end and pulled it around to Lucy's face, being careful not to let the charm hit her head and ruin the surprise. He pulled the necklace close to her throat, looping the hook through the clasp. Once he was sure that it was properly fastened, he gently pulled her tousled hair out from under the chain and let it fall against her back. "Look at me." When she turned around again, he was awe-stricken by just how much one piece of jewelry enhanced her natural radiance. "It looks stunning on you."

"I would probably love it if I could see what it is," she giggled. "I'll be right back!" She hopped up from the couch and darted up the stairs to the bathroom. When she saw her reflection in the mirror, she froze; what was hanging around her neck was a small silver dragon. Single tears escaped from either eye while she stood paralyzed. "Laxus…"

"What do you think?" Lucy practically jumped out of her skin when she heard Laxus' voice behind her. _You're not a little guy; how did I not hear you come up the stairs?! _ "I know it's not much, but I thought it would look great on you. And I thought that if I gave it to you, it would always make you think of me when you look at it or touch it because of the little dragon. You are a dragon slayer's woman now, after all," he joked.

"It's...it's beautiful," Lucy choked. "It's the most thoughtful gift that anyone's ever given me. Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his hulking torso, and he returned the gesture.

"I just want to make you happy, Lucy."

"Well you're off to a good start," she said, nuzzling her face in his chest.

xxxxx

Erza knocked lightly on Natsu's front door. "Natsu, are you home?" she called.

"Go away Erza. I don't want you to see me right now," Natsu responded, his voice contorted with pain. "I don't want anyone to see me."

"I'm just here to help you. Lucy sent me to check on you."

"She...she did?" Natsu said, surprised.

"Yes, she did. She's concerned about you."

"Why didn't she come check on me herself then if she was so worried?"

"You know exactly why she can't do that, Natsu."

There was an uncomfortably long pause before his reply came: "Yeah, yeah, I know." Erza swore she heard him giggle to himself mischievously.

"Can I come in then?"

"Y...yeah," he approved in between tremors. Erza opened the door to see him curled up on the couch, sweating profusely and writhing in agony. She gasped as she observed that his eyes were red and his face was striped with blood, just as Lucy's dream had foretold.

**xxxxxx**

**What will happen now that Erza knows the truth about Natsu's condition? And when will Lucy tell Laxus about her very real nightmare? Stay tuned!**

****Hey all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for your support via favorites and follows as always! However, I would like to ask something of those of you who leave negative reviews on my story: **

**I do not believe in censorship, so I will always approve of everyone's reviews whether you're a guest or not and regardless of how nasty/hurtful they may be because everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. However, as I also take the time to read every review, I would like to ask that instead of leaving rude comments that you leave constructive feedback. As a writer, I expect to be criticized, for that is an inevitable facet of the trade, but things like "This sucks," do not help me to improve my abilities, so if you all have a problem with what I have written, if you could let me know in a way that is beneficial to us both (i.e. telling me exactly what you didn't like, providing suggestions for new directions, etc.), then that would be fantastic! Thanks for taking the time to read! **


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